SUV Comparison: Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander

The Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot continue to be two of the most popular SUVs on the market. Despite that, only one of these three-row crossovers can best support your active way of life. Our team at Performance Kings Honda is ready with an analysis of both models, side by side. Find out who wins below and enjoy an unbeatable automotive dealership experience from Performance Kings Honda in Cincinnati.

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander: Exterior Features

There are six trim levels for the Honda Pilot: LX, Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, and Elite. The Toyota Highlander offers 11 trim levels, which can make things a bit complicated. They’re the L, LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, Platinum, Hybrid LE, Hybrid XLE, Bronze Edition, Hybrid Limited, and Hybrid Platinum. The Honda Pilot measures 199.9 inches in length, 71.0 inches in height, and 78.5 inches in width, whereas the Highlander measures 194.9 inches long, 68.1 inches high, and 76 inches wide.

The Pilot has a reputation for being big and roomy, and indeed, it’s a fair bit longer, taller, and wider than the Highlander. It also starts with 20-inch alloy wheels instead of 18 inches, like on the base Highlander. Finally, the Honda Pilot’s standard front fog lights will give you a clearer view, which is great for traveling to work on a foggy morning.

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander: Interior Volume

While the Highlander boasts 141.8 cubic feet of total passenger space, the Pilot provides 158.4 cubic feet on the LX, Sport, and EX-L trims or 154.9 cubic feet in Trail Sport, Touring, and Elite trims. The additional space is a big advantage for those planning to transport up to eight passengers. Moreover, the Pilot has a cargo capacity of 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, surpassing the Highlander’s 16 cubic feet.

The Highlander has 42 inches of front legroom as opposed to the Pilot’s 41 inches. However, the Pilot has 32.5 inches of rear legroom instead of 28 in the Highlander. The same is true once again for shoulder space. If you need one takeaway, it’s that adults may fit comfortably in all three seat rows of the Honda Pilot.

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander: Infotainment Technology

For an immersive audio experience, the Pilot can come with a seven-speaker sound system with a subwoofer, while the Highlander gets six speakers. Easier access to satellite radio is one advantage for the Highlander. However, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility appear standard on all trim levels of both vehicles. Also, the latest Pilot provides HondaLink, a feature exclusive to all the new Honda that keeps you connected to your car. Toyota offers a new multimedia system to replace their old Entune suite, and some drivers may have trouble getting used to it.

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander: Engine

When it comes to engine power, the new Honda Pilot is competitive with other cars in its class. It has a 3.5-liter V-6 engine producing 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque with two-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is also available.

The new Highlander carries a 2.4-liter 16-valve inline-4 engine with 265 horsepower and 310 lb-feet of torque power. Instead of the Pilot’s 10-speed automatic transmission, it has an eight-speed one. There’s a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, just like with the Pilot. Overall, we’d call this comparison dead even.

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander: Performance

With an 18.5-gallon fuel tank, as opposed to the Highlander’s 17.9-gallon tank, the Honda Pilot allows you to fill up a bit less frequently. The EPA mpg ratings for the two-wheel-drive Honda Pilot are 19 in the city, 27 highway, and 22 combined mpg. All-wheel-drive versions get 25 highway mpg instead, leading to 21 combined. The Toyota Highlander offers fuel efficiency ratings of 22/29/25 on city/highway/combined mpg.

Last but not least, although both vehicles come equipped with front and rear stabilizer bars, only the Honda Pilot offers a standard terrain-type selection with its Normal, ECON, Snow, Tow, and Sport Modes. While the Highlander offers a bit more efficiency on average, particularly on one of their expensive hybrid trims, many drivers could prefer Honda’s standard features and driving style.

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander: Pricing

You may have noticed a lot of similarities between these vehicles so far, with some sides going to the Pilot. They might seem pretty close so far, but which is the better value for the price? Most Cincinnati, Ohio, drivers prioritize value for money, so let’s take a look.

The pricing for the 2023 Honda Pilot starts at $35,950 on the starting LX trim, $39,150 for the Sport, and the EX-L $41,950, $48,350 for the TrailSport, while the Touring starts at $46,450, and finally, $52,030 for the Elite.

On the other hand, the Toyota Highlander’s base L trim starts at $36,420. The LE starts at $38,820, followed by XLE at $41,820, XSE at $43,415, Bronze at $45,980, Limited at $46,075, Platinum at $49,275, and so on. By the time you reach the Hybrid Platinum, your Highlander will cost $50,675 before destination costs and other fees. While the latter trims of the Highlander aren’t too pricey, those looking for the most affordable SUV will likely go for the Pilot LX.

Pilot vs. Highlander: Winner

In different ways, both the Pilot and Highlander combine performance and adaptability with great interior design. When you compare them closely on the little details, we feel the current Honda Pilot proves a better value. Whether you’re after a basic trim to save money or something much higher, the Pilot has extra space, plus easier access to standard features for convenience and comfort.

Check Out the 2023 Honda Pilot at Performance Kings Honda

Do you agree that Honda wins out? Perhaps a test drive in one of our new or pre-owned cars could help. To discover more about the outstanding performance of the 2023 Honda Pilot, 2022 Pilot, and more, call Performance Kings Honda or visit during our business hours. We provide a comprehensive selection and may adjust financing options to make an already great bargain even better. We’d be proud to serve as your one-stop shop for service, sales, research, and all other automobile needs.

Image Credits: 2023 Honda Pilot EX by RL GNZLZ is licensed with CC0 1.0