Pilot vs. Highlander, what made you choose Pilot?

[cepler]

So, we just did a round of test drives today looking for a car to replace our '92 Accord.

Todays test drives included the Pilot, Highlander, Pathfinder and 4Runner.

Of these we dropped out the Pathfinder due to the intrusion of the transmission into the cabin, and it just felt a bit cramped after testing the Pilot (first test drive).

The Highlander looked pretty good, similar size/configuration to Pilot but the fit/finish seemed better and seemed to be a luxury version of the Pilot. Headroom seemed a bit less.

So, can the Pilot owners out there tell me what made them choose the Pilot over a Highlander? Pilot and Highlander are the current top picks on our list right now. 4Runner was really nice but a bit more truck than we want for our uses.

Please keep it civil, and no flames, looking for good backed up opinions here!

[quedee]

For me it was value. You get much more car for your money with the Pilot. More cargo space and a much roomier interior. I thought the rides were excellent for both but ultimately chose the pilot and am happy with my choice.

[jay]

This thread compares the two and addresses your question. Personally, I wouldn't mind one of each. But having owned both an '01 Highlander and '03 Pilot (sequentially), I decided to reverse course and upgrade a while back. Without a doubt, though, this forum, with its wide international cross section of talented and personable participants is the most informative, engaging, and downright enjoyable place in cyberspace.

[rockman19762001]

It has been over a year since we bought our Pilot. But, we considered the Highlander and 4-Runner from Toyota. The 4-Runner was more off road truck and hauler then we needed and about $7,000 more expensive then the Pilot. The Highlander was about the same price as the Pilot. But, Pilot has more front headroom very important for me, had more interior room, and a third row seat. The Highlander now has a third row seat, I believe. The Pilot also seemed to ride better and handle better then the Highlander. So, my wife went for the Pilot. End of decision.

All three are very good vehicles, but each is marketed at a different group. The Highlander and the Pilot, imho, for the same market segment. I think the Pilot is just a slightly better value then the Highlander. But, other than that very close.

[florida_guy]

Originally posted by cepler

So, can the Pilot owners out there tell me what made them choose the Pilot over a Highlander? Pilot and Highlander are the current top picks on our list right now. 4Runner was really nice but a bit more truck than we want for our uses.

Check the othe thread mentioned. For me the big ones were just an intangible feeling when I drove the two, the room of the Pilot, and believe it or not this forum.

One word of warning check out the "Grade Logic". It's my biggest complaint about the Pilot. If you drive on cruise control on expressways a lot you definitely want to find out how you feel about the downshifting going up even minor hills.

My mileage isn't as high as I expected.

Don't regret my choice. Highlander and Pilot were the only two I seriously considered.

[osteome]

We went with a Pilot near MSRP rather than an invoice deal on a Highlander and have no regrets. The Pilot to us seems roomier and just an all around more useful vehicle / flexible vehicle. I love the headroom and the relative (though shrinking) "uniqueness" of the vehicle. I thought that I was really going to miss the sunroof...but tht though quickly faded.

A co-worker has a Highlander Limited and he's bit jealous of the slight larger size.....

[jdeanski]

Both the Highlander and the Pilot are excellent vehicles. I considered and drove both. Some of it came down to the "games" that the Toyota dealer wanted to play and how the Highlander was sold, ie: everything was a dealer installed "extra". The Honda dealer played the sale very straight, no padded "extra profit" add ons. And besides all that I just didn't like the rear suspension struts intruding into the cargo area!

If you don't need the extra cargo room the Toytota is excellent. If you like the extra room the Honda wins hands down.

[jay]

Originally posted by jdeanski
Both the Highlander and the Pilot are excellent vehicles. I considered and drove both. Some of it came down to the "games" that the Toyota dealer wanted to play and how the Highlander was sold, ie: everything was a dealer installed "extra". The Honda dealer played the sale very straight, no padded "extra profit" add ons. And besides all that I just didn't like the rear suspension struts intruding into the cargo area!

If you don't need the extra cargo room the Toytota is excellent. If you like the extra room the Honda wins hands down.

That's unusual for Toyota, where very little is dealer-installed, or DIO. Where Toyota gets you is the packaging of factory trim levels and options, and port-installed (PIO accessories), but they attempt to configure them with popular factory packages.

Hondas, by stark contrast, have three or few trim levels, no factory options, and a host of dealer profit-bloaters like the fog lights with or without trim, mirror covers, bumper garnish, day/night mirror, $12 pin stripes sold as a $698 appearance package, bakup camera for the NAVI, tranny and ps coolers, you get the idea.

[jdeanski]

Originally posted by jay
That's unusual for Toyota, where very little is dealer-installed, or DIO. Where Toyota gets you is the packaging of factory trim levels and options, and port-installed (PIO accessories), but they attempt to configure them with popular factory packages.

Hondas, by stark contrast, have three or few trim levels, no factory options, and a host of dealer profit-bloaters like the fog lights with or without trim, mirror covers, bumper garnish, day/night mirror, $12 pin stripes sold as a $698 appearance package, bakup camera for the NAVI, tranny and ps coolers, you get the idea.

The Toyota's brought into the Southeast seem to be imported under a different set of rules than the rest of the country and vehicles have a ton of dealer or port installed options. The MSRP may be the same nationwide but the invoice prices seems to be different because of the Southeast Toyota "commission".

[robottik]

Originally posted by cepler
So, can the Pilot owners out there tell me what made them choose the Pilot over a Highlander?

I too considered the Highlander. But for me, there was one main thing the Pilot had going for it: Interior size. The Pilot is flat out roomier. Better leg, head, hip and cargo room.

[StephenB]

The Highlander and Pilot were my two main contenders (along with the Volvo, but that's a different story). I chose the Pilot because:

- The Highlander didn't have rear a/c. That's way too important for the comfort of my child. It's too hot down here in New Orleans, to NOT have rear a/c on such a big vehicle. My husband sat in the back to see how quickly it cooled off and it took forever.

- I like the room of the Pilot.

- The 3rd row seat was easier to use and better in the Pilot

- I liked the body style of the Highlander a bit better, and the fact that it had a sunroof. But I'd say that I see 10x more Highlanders on the road than I do Pilots. It's starting to bug me that there's so many on the road.

- I liked the way the Pilot drove. It seemed smoother.

- I like the interior of the Pilot better. I hated that purse space under the console of the Highlander. It was hard to get to. The console space wasn't as functional and I thought the dash looked more generic.

[krygny]

Way more room. There was no 3rd row seat in the Highlander in 2003. (Even though I almost never use it, it's nice to have.)

Interior design. I really like the center storage console.

Ever so slightly better ride, handling, power, and mileage. Love that VTEC engine.

The Clincher: the Highlander takes premium gas (at least it did in 2003; don't know if that's changed).

[Stevie B]

Originally posted by StephenB
The Highlander and Pilot were my two main contenders (along with the Volvo, but that's a different story).

We looked at the Volvo XC90 and felt cramped. If I remember correctly, the blind spots are rather large, too. Can't beat the unbeatable safety record of Volvo. It all boiled down to room. The Pilot had it, we bought it, Honda #6.

[StephenB]

Re: Honda vs. Volvo...

For us, it boiled down to money. The Volvo (w/ leather & 3rd row package) was a good $7k more than the Pilot EX-L RES. Since I knew the Pilot was a great car, it ended up being our choice in the end. I love the exterior and tailgate of the Volvo. I also loved the 2nd row middle sliding seat that converted into a booster seat. But I was able to get the Pilot with DVD for so much less than the Volvo w/ no DVD, it was too obvious which one I should (be smart and) get.

[krygny]

Originally posted by StephenB
Re: Honda vs. Volvo...

The XC90 is a beautifully designed and engineered vehicle. We fell in love with it at an auto show. But Volvos spend way too much time in the shop.