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Honda and Toyota have battled it out for decades and it’s made both of their SUVs better, but in the case of the Highlander vs the Pilot, which is on top in 2021?
Highlander vs Pilot
Today there seems to be a segment of automotive manufacturing to fit just about anyone’s personal taste. Still, it wasn’t too long ago that wagons and minivans were the only sensible choices for those who needed to transport more than 3 people. Two of the vehicles that helped change that are the subjects of our comparison today. The Honda Pilot and the Toyota Highlander have been duking it out since the early 2000s. Today, each has found a way to attract new customers without alienating its faithful, but we wonder which is best when brand loyalty doesn’t play a role and all-out value is king. To find out, we’ve detailed everything there is to know about each and determine which we’d buy.
2021 Toyota Highlander vs Honda Pilot Specs
For our test, we’ve selected the two trims that are closest in terms of cost to one another, the Pilot Special Edition priced at $40,435 and the Highlander XLE which rings up at the register for $41,260. At the heart of each SUV is a 3.5-liter V6 engine. If you had to guess which SUV had to tip its hand first, it would be easy to tell based on power output. The Pilot makes 280 horsepower while the Highlander makes 295 horsepower. The Pilot also produces 262 lb-ft of torque while the Toyota eeks out 263 lb-ft of torque. Both are mated to automatic transmissions, the Honda using nine cogs while the Toyota only has eight. Both vehicles come with front-wheel-drive standard, but all-wheel-drive is optional.
It seems as though that tiny boost in power might actually be helping its efficiency ratings as it beats out the Pilot by a single mpg, 24 to 23, when it comes to their combined ratings. It’s worth noting that the Highlander does offer a Hybrid version that achieves a combined rating of 36 mpg, but it’s not included here because it doesn’t change the result of our comparison. The Highlander Hybrid features four similarly named trims as its gas-powered sibling, but with different features. Still, if fuel efficiency is your main focus, add a point for the Highlander Hybrid.
In terms of safety equipment, both are very well equipped. Standard on the Highlander is a suite called Toyota SafetySense, which includes Automatic high beams, a traffic sign reader, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist, and Frontal Collision Mitigation. It achieved a 5-star crash test rating from the NHTSA and is a Top Safety Pick+ according to the IIHS. The Pilot might be a bit older, but it’s also outstanding and has everything that the Toyota does, aside from the traffic sign reader. It wasn’t named a Top Safey Pick by the IIHS, but it did get a 5-star crash test rating from the NHTSA.
Driving Characteristics
Neither of these family haulers is going to be as agile and driver engaging as something like the Mazda CX-9, but they’re probably better than most people would guess. 0-60 for each happens in 7-seconds or less, and while they do roll a bit in harder corners, both offer a sport-tuned suspension on certain trims. Furthermore, they’re just as good at slowing down as they are at speeding up. Braking is especially easy with the Toyota Highlander as it seemed to communicate just a bit more than its Honda rival.
Steering is accurate and progressively weighted as well. One note on the Honda Pilot, as it loads up in the corner, it can feel like it approaches its limits much quicker than it actually does. We think that’s down to the older suspension tech compared to the Highlander, which saw an update in 2020. Nevertheless, both are decent drivers, but we know in our hearts that’s not how most will value these SUVs. They’re meant to be comfortable, spacious, and safe. They’re even better in those aspects.
Interior Comfort
One of the biggest benefits of both of these SUVs is how quiet they are on the road. Even poor conditions don’t unsettle the 2021 Honda Pilot or the 2021 Toyota Highlander, and their ability to traverse the landscape without being uncomfortable is excellent. The Honda Pilot goes out of its way to position the driver a bit higher with a bit more outward visibility as a result. Toyota has thinned the A-pillars of the Highlander to provide excellent forward visibility. Both SUVs feature heated front seats and tri-zone automatic climate control.
Moving back into the second row, the Highlander features two captain’s chairs where the Pilot has a simple bench seat. They both have sunshades and are both reasonably comfortable for the average-sized adult. In the third row that can’t be said. Both are fairly cramped for anyone above 5-feet tall and aren’t particularly featureful. Seating is nice enough though that kids should be comfortable even on longer drives.
Highlander vs Pilot Technology and Trims
The base-level Highlander comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights, six speakers, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. The next trim, LE, adds foglights, blind-spot monitoring, and a height-adjustable liftgate. Our comparison example of the XLE adds a sunroof, the aforementioned second-row captain’s chairs, a larger driver information display, and heated front seats. Above the XLE are three more trims, XSE, Limited, and Platinum. At the XSE level, drivers get the sport suspension mentioned earlier and some sporty design changes. The Limited could be considered the first of two luxury packages with a hands-free tailgate, leather seating with ventilation for the front row, a heated steering wheel, and more. At the Platinum level, Toyota pulls out all the stops with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a larger panoramic sunroof, heated second-row seats, and even a digital rearview mirror that displays a live video feed of your rear surroundings while you drive.
The Pilot LX starts out with seven speakers, automatic LED headlights, and a 5-inch infotainment system. After that things get much more appealing. At the EX level, drivers will find tri-zone automatic climate control, blind-spot monitoring, an 8-inch infotainment system, heated seats and mirrors, and keyless entry. The EX-L adds a bit of luxury with a sunroof, leather seating, a power liftgate, and second-row sunshades. Above that is the Special Edition. Our comparison example adds wireless charging and a hands-free liftgate. The Touring trim level is well adjusted for long trips with a rear-seat entertainment system, 10 speakers, heated rear seats, and navigation. The top of the range is the Elite with standard second-row captain’s chairs, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a panoramic sunroof.
In the Fight of Highlander vs Pilot, Who Wins?
These SUVs are incredibly similar, but drive them back to back and it’s easy to see why Honda is about to introduce a brand new Pilot soon. The 2021 Toyota Highlander is a bit more advanced in every way. It’s a bit more comfortable, a bit more powerful, a bit more featureful, and it’s the winner here. One final consideration though, if this was a comparison solely of warranty coverage, the Honda wouldn’t even come close. Toyota offers identical limited and powertrain coverage while also offering two years or 25,000-miles of complimentary maintenance.
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