Pluses and Minuses of both. Finally back in car buy mode. I'll comment after yours, etc. I did the edmunds comparo thing.
Talking AWD V6's here.
Talking AWD V6's here.
Honda Pilot VS. Toyota Highlander
- Thread starter Pablo
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Ok I'll start:
Close in price. Both are expected to be reliable!
Toy gets better MPG. Hon has more power. Range is amazingly similar, guess which one has a bigger gas tank?
Honda is butt ugly.
Toyota standard Japanese beauty.
Close in price. Both are expected to be reliable!
Toy gets better MPG. Hon has more power. Range is amazingly similar, guess which one has a bigger gas tank?
Honda is butt ugly.
Toyota standard Japanese beauty.
Toyota. Hands down. I felt the Pilot's ride is a little rough. The Highlander has a better ride and good power. I haven't driven the 3.0L version but I'm sure the 3.3L V6 is an improvement on the already quick 3.0L V6 Highlander.
Have a 02 highlander v6. Unless you go Limited version, interior is adequate but plain. Base stereo is pitiful.
Seriously, I would have preferred minivan but it's the wife's to drive and after 10 years of minivans, she was a bit tired of them.
Seriously, I would have preferred minivan but it's the wife's to drive and after 10 years of minivans, she was a bit tired of them.
I'd take the Toyota over the Honda, but I'd rather have the 4Runner. Not that you asked!
The Pilot. I only say this because we just bought one a few months ago
We were looking for a car with alot of room, horsepower to pull my boat and something that rides good on the highway. We never looked at other vehicles, becuase my mother in law owns one, and my wife has wanted one for the last year. We average 16.5 miles per gallon in the city and 19 on the highway. You can't go wrong with a Toyota though, either car will give you many years of reliable service.
Well both are fine machines however I would take both for a drive before making up my mind. I currently have a 03 V8 4Runner which I chose between the Highlander & 4Runner. With the certainty of higher gas prices in the future that alone would be a major deciding factor for me.
Great input.
The rating for the Highlander V6 is like 3 mpg better than the Honda. It has slightly less displacement so it makes some sense.
I thought one of the two had a locking rear but I can't see it in either spec sheet now.
kenw - what is there to not like about the Highlander? What bugs you?
joee - what is there to not like about the Pilot? What bugs you?
Chimay - we will test drive (more than once) both vehicles - how much stronger does the V8 pull than the V6 (in the 4runner)?
The rating for the Highlander V6 is like 3 mpg better than the Honda. It has slightly less displacement so it makes some sense.
I thought one of the two had a locking rear but I can't see it in either spec sheet now.
kenw - what is there to not like about the Highlander? What bugs you?
joee - what is there to not like about the Pilot? What bugs you?
Chimay - we will test drive (more than once) both vehicles - how much stronger does the V8 pull than the V6 (in the 4runner)?
what bugs me? Nothing that probably wouldn't bug me about the Pilot as well, I guess. We had Dodge/Plymouth minivans for the previous 10 years. The ride was smoother, they held more people and more stuff, were better on long trips, the interior was cushier, had reclining rear buckets (not bench). You could walk (sorta) from front to back at 70mph. Easier to get larger stuff in/out. We didn't have to rent a UHaul to mover the kid to college....
But these are the baasic differences between a minivan and SUV, so I guess they aren't specific to Highlander. Of the class SUV, either would get our vote. We needed to buy a 1 year old unit (save some $$) and the Highlander was what came up 1st with the right price.
We also have a 97 v6 Camry (same basic engine) and a 93 i4 Camry. So we didn't venture too far outside the box.....Being used to Toyota products, we had a preference for the interior stylings of the Highlander, control locations, "feel", etc. If you are a Honda person, the Pilot might be your choice for that subtle reason.
But since the minivans both bought the farm at 120k or less, we needed something a bit more reliable. And more powerful: the 3.3L v6 in the last (to say nothing of the 2.4 i4 in the 1st) minivan was under powered for anything but flatland travel.
We have ~50k on the 02 highlander and it's never been to the shop for any warranty work. It had 5k on it when we bought it.
But these are the baasic differences between a minivan and SUV, so I guess they aren't specific to Highlander. Of the class SUV, either would get our vote. We needed to buy a 1 year old unit (save some $$) and the Highlander was what came up 1st with the right price.
We also have a 97 v6 Camry (same basic engine) and a 93 i4 Camry. So we didn't venture too far outside the box.....Being used to Toyota products, we had a preference for the interior stylings of the Highlander, control locations, "feel", etc. If you are a Honda person, the Pilot might be your choice for that subtle reason.
But since the minivans both bought the farm at 120k or less, we needed something a bit more reliable. And more powerful: the 3.3L v6 in the last (to say nothing of the 2.4 i4 in the 1st) minivan was under powered for anything but flatland travel.
We have ~50k on the 02 highlander and it's never been to the shop for any warranty work. It had 5k on it when we bought it.
Chimay - we will test drive (more than once) both vehicles - how much stronger does the V8 pull than the V6 (in the 4runner)?
Not really sure to be quite honest but it just felt better from a dead stop when I first hit the gas pedal and with only a 1 mile per gallon difference than the V6 I wanted the Toyota 4.7.
Dennis
Not really sure to be quite honest but it just felt better from a dead stop when I first hit the gas pedal and with only a 1 mile per gallon difference than the V6 I wanted the Toyota 4.7.
Dennis
Pablo, the Pilot has the VTM-4 all wheel drive system that senses when the front tires are slipping, and then kicks in the rear ones. The all wheel drive can be locked from a dead stop, if started in 1st gear, then shuts off at 18 mph. The main complaint of the Pilot is the brakes, it seems like you have to really work them to get the thing to stop, but it could just be the shear weight of the vehicle. There is also a little bit more road noise than I prefer, but this has always been a trait of Hondas IMO. -Joe
Pabs,
The Toyota has a 5K MAX OCI and has an oil eating V6. The Honda has a MAX 7500 mi. OCI and seems to be easier on oil.
If I'm not mistaken, the Pilot's Rear Seat is a bit roomier.
So take your pick, MW
EDIT- Consider getting an AWD Sienna V6. It will probably getting better fuel economy than either one (Pilot or Highlander) and will be much roomier.
The Toyota has a 5K MAX OCI and has an oil eating V6. The Honda has a MAX 7500 mi. OCI and seems to be easier on oil.
If I'm not mistaken, the Pilot's Rear Seat is a bit roomier.
So take your pick, MW
EDIT- Consider getting an AWD Sienna V6. It will probably getting better fuel economy than either one (Pilot or Highlander) and will be much roomier.
I found the seats to be much, much more comfortable in the Pilot than the Highlander. Toyota seats are way too short cutting off thigh support IMO. Toyota also over emphasizes lumbar support which gets more uncomfortable the longer you stay in the seat (i.e.: long trips).
The Pilot is a heavier vehicle, which probably accounts for much of the mpg difference I suspect. On the flip, my Pilot is rock solid in a strong cross wind or storm. Drove thru two nasty storms and the vehicle "feels" ultra safe as you drive.
The Pilot is a heavier vehicle, which probably accounts for much of the mpg difference I suspect. On the flip, my Pilot is rock solid in a strong cross wind or storm. Drove thru two nasty storms and the vehicle "feels" ultra safe as you drive.
It gets slippery up here in the winter, and some people like AWD. And maybe Pablo wants to go to the mountains to ski....
Sounds silly, I would drive used models of both to see how they are with a few miles on them.
JHZR2
Staff member
Friend from work has a pilot - likes it a lot... Looks like it has more space than the highlander - from what little intervace Ive had with the highlander.
Honda rubber parts are bound to rot and go bad in about 10 years - toyota quality has been declining however, as well, and you might have to think about sludge...
Personally? Id get the 4cyl highlander - enough power for responsible driving, better MPG, easier to work on, etc, etc. Ive had enough trouble with honda radiators and rubber parts, and enough success with various 2.4L toyota engines, and good longeivty from toyota overall, to thinkk the price point loss leader version would be about the best deal and best vehicle of all... Its not fun working on those v-6s.
JMH
Honda rubber parts are bound to rot and go bad in about 10 years - toyota quality has been declining however, as well, and you might have to think about sludge...
Personally? Id get the 4cyl highlander - enough power for responsible driving, better MPG, easier to work on, etc, etc. Ive had enough trouble with honda radiators and rubber parts, and enough success with various 2.4L toyota engines, and good longeivty from toyota overall, to thinkk the price point loss leader version would be about the best deal and best vehicle of all... Its not fun working on those v-6s.
JMH
If you can wait a year or two, I predict hybrid versions of these vehicles will be available.
JHZR2
Staff member
theyre here... toyota highlander is offered and on tv commercials all the time, as is its cousin the lexus rx400h.
Acura has or will have an RSX hybrid... this will surely fit into the pilot, if the highlander hybrid is popular enough.
Im all for maximizing MPG to the highest extent...
Battery cycling, longevity? I could care less to be quite honest, if 61 MPG is possible in a reasonable size car around town.
However, what is the environmental impact (both energy utilization and hazardous materials / pollution emissions) from regenerating these batteries at end-of-life??? Might not make the overall pollution scheme all that attractive for hybrids.
Id like to see a very efficient diesel version of each of those.
Still, Id say 2.4L highlander...
JMH
Acura has or will have an RSX hybrid... this will surely fit into the pilot, if the highlander hybrid is popular enough.
Im all for maximizing MPG to the highest extent...
Battery cycling, longevity? I could care less to be quite honest, if 61 MPG is possible in a reasonable size car around town.
However, what is the environmental impact (both energy utilization and hazardous materials / pollution emissions) from regenerating these batteries at end-of-life??? Might not make the overall pollution scheme all that attractive for hybrids.
Id like to see a very efficient diesel version of each of those.
Still, Id say 2.4L highlander...
JMH
The decision would be quite easy if they made one with a rock solid diesel! If they were both diesel - then I'd be stuck
I'm not sure if I would buy a hybrid - the battery replacement cost would be hanging over my head my every waking/sleeping moment - EVEN if was 10 years out! (I doubt it, no?).
I'm not sure if I would buy a hybrid - the battery replacement cost would be hanging over my head my every waking/sleeping moment - EVEN if was 10 years out! (I doubt it, no?).
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