Toyota Highlander vs Honda Pilot: Which Should You Buy?

The Highlander's notable line item is the V6 water pump ($500 to $1,200 when it's done), and it recovers much of its purchase premium at resale. The Pilot's lower asking price is real money, against which budget possible plug and misfire attention on VCM engines and, on 2016 to 2019 9-speed trims, transmission software updates ($150 to $300 if not covered). Ask a Honda dealer to run the VIN for open campaigns and any extended coverage, get insurance quotes on both, and compare EPA ratings for the exact versions at fueleconomy.gov.

The Highlander's file is thin: V6 water pump weep with age and mileage, and on earlier V6 cars the original rubber-section oil-cooler hose, which should have been swapped for Toyota's all-metal line; both are verifiable on a lift in minutes. The Pilot's is trim- and year-dependent: on 2016 to 2019 models the 6-speed trims are solid Honda, the Touring and Elite's ZF 9-speed needed several software updates to behave, and the V6's VCM system can foul plugs into misfires on some engines. Have a Honda dealer run the VIN for completed bulletins and any extended coverage, and scan for codes before you buy; then the risk is transparent.

Neither is exciting, by design. The Pilot is the marginally more car-like drive, lighter steering feel, better sightlines, while the Highlander prioritizes hush and softness. Both V6s are strong and smooth; the Pilot's 9-speed (when updated) shifts more busily than the Toyota's traditional automatic. For long family hauls, both are quiet, stable, and comfortable; third-row passengers will vote Pilot.

The Pilot's cabin wins on clever storage, seat flexibility, and family-focused touches; the Highlander answers with simpler controls and, from 2017, Toyota Safety Sense P active safety standard on every trim. Infotainment is dated in both until the last years of each generation. Equipment-per-dollar often favors the Honda used; set-and-forget simplicity favors the Toyota.

The Highlander is the reliability pick; the Pilot is the packaging pick. The Toyota's best-known issues are cheap, visible items on a drivetrain with an excellent reputation, and its resale is strong, which you pay for up front. The Pilot counters with the genuinely bigger, better-arranged interior and often a lower price, offset on 2016 to 2019 models by the 9-speed's reputation (avoidable by choosing an LX, EX or EX-L) and VCM's plug-fouling habit (checkable with an inexpensive code reader). Families who fill every seat lean Pilot; buyers optimizing for the longest, quietest ownership lean Highlander.

The Highlander's file is thin: V6 water pump weep with age and mileage, and on earlier V6 cars the original rubber-section oil-cooler hose, which should have been swapped for Toyota's all-metal line; both are verifiable on a lift in minutes. The Pilot's is trim- and year-dependent: on 2016 to 2019 models the 6-speed trims are solid Honda, the Touring and Elite's ZF 9-speed needed several software updates to behave, and the V6's VCM system can foul plugs into misfires on some engines. Have a Honda dealer run the VIN for completed bulletins and any extended coverage, and scan for codes before you buy; then the risk is transparent.

The Highlander's notable line item is the V6 water pump ($500 to $1,200 when it's done), and it recovers much of its purchase premium at resale. The Pilot's lower asking price is real money, against which budget possible plug and misfire attention on VCM engines and, on 2016 to 2019 9-speed trims, transmission software updates ($150 to $300 if not covered). Ask a Honda dealer to run the VIN for open campaigns and any extended coverage, get insurance quotes on both, and compare EPA ratings for the exact versions at fueleconomy.gov.