Compare the Honda Pilot to the Competition

Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander Go Head-to-Head in Jonesboro, AR -- Which Mid-Size Family SUV Pulls Ahead?

As matchups go, it doesn't get any more competitive than this. Ours, the Honda Pilot, has been a favorite since 2002, following the early Honda CR-V crossover and last-generation Passport. Theirs hails from 2001 acclaim and is now one of Toyota's best-selling SUVs. Both go full-size on family accommodations. However, it's the new Pilot, fresh off a revision and home to a new exterior, powerful engine, loads of new safety standards, and an interior with amenities to spare, that pulls ahead, and Honda of Jonesboro has made it easy to see where and how.

The New Honda Pilot vs The Toyota Highlander

• The Honda Pilot pulls out shelling a high-performance 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6, far more energetic than the 185-horsepower, 2.7-liter I4 in Toyota Highlander. Factor in our 262 pound-feet of torque to their 184, and the result is clear: Honda Pilot is the more capable, confident choice for the Paragould driver.
• Expect better towing capacity from Pilot, as it can lug up to 3,500 pounds compared to Highlander at 1,500 pounds. That's enough for taking a couple of snowmobiles or dirt bikes out to Walnut Ridge, or even for an aluminum fishing boat, headed out of Trumann for a weekend getaway.
• Intelligent Variable Torque Management™ (i-VTM4™) AWD is available, and it comes standard in Pilot Elite. Dynamic Torque-Control AWD is only ever optional across the Highlander line.
• An available Intelligent Traction Management with snow, sand, and mud modes makes it easy for Pilot to tackle all sorts of terrain. Highlander offers only a snow mode, and only with the eight-speed transmission standard in higher trims.
• A nine-speed auto with shift-by-wire comes standard in higher trims, making shifting gears a breeze with the touch of a button. This tech's not offered in Highlander.
• Honda Sensing® driver-assist tech comes standard throughout the Pilot lineup, simplifying stay on the road, in-lane, at a safe distance from traffic, and clear of collisions. Highlander builds in the comparable Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P) system.
• Blind-spot and cross-traffic monitoring systems are standard with a step up to EX. In Highlander, you can only get them at the line's midrange.
• Pilot earns five stars for crash resistance from the NHTSA*, and it's a 2018 TOP SAFETY PICK+ according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety**, with a "Superior" front crash prevention rating. These are all the authority's highest awards. Highlander comes in slightly behind. It's only a TOP SAFETY PICK, with "Acceptable" headlights to the Pilot rating of "Good."
• There's more room for passengers in Honda Pilot, up to 152.9 cubic feet compared to Highlander at 144.9, and that comprehends better front shoulder and hip room, more second-row head, hip, and shoulder room, and better third-row head shoulder and leg room.
• Pilot offers better minimum cargo volume, too, 16.5 cubic feet to Highlander's 13.8, with a slight edge in maximum cargo space to boot.
• You'll find heated seats standard in Pilot EX. To get them in Highlander, you have to step up to the midrange XLE trim.
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard in Pilot EX and later, a part of the SUV's 215-watt, seven-speaker, 8-inch Display Audio infotainment system. It lets you connect your compatible smartphone, access its apps and functions, and control them right from the dash -- keeping you in touch and entertained on the go. You won't find either Apple or Android phone support in Highlander.

The best way to see a new Honda Pilot in action and how it performs against the rest, however, is firsthand. Our sales personnel here at our 3003 East Parker Road showroom in Jonesboro, AR would be delighted to take you out for a test-drive tour. Stop by and see us today!

*Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov).

**IIHS ratings are given as part of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety assessment program when vehicles are properly equipped.