2020 Honda Pilot vs 2019 Toyota RAV4

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 caught attention with its distinct, aggressive design inspired by the Toyota Tacoma pickup. The chunky lines and sharp edges added a futuristic appeal and a sense of strength. This design philosophy extended to the side-profile styling and even the Lexus-inspired taillights. A notable feature was the character line breaking up the rear C-pillar. However, this particular design trait wasn't universally appealing and seemed somewhat cluttered, especially in monotone color schemes.

Additionally, the RAV4 offered color options that included both monotone and two-tone palettes. The two-tone options, featuring contrasting gray or black roofs, made the C-pillar strip sensible, whereas it seemed unnecessary in single-color designs. Despite the exterior's complexity, the interior was straightforward and elegant, with many features integrated into the floating touch screen and a handy pod controlling the central dash elements.

Trim levels for the RAV4 included LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure, and Limited, each adding progressively more features. The XLE trim, highly recommended by CarGurus, featured alloy wheels, automatic high beams, fog lights, and dual-zone climate control, among other amenities. The Adventure trim amped up the ruggedness with all-wheel drive and distinctive orange interior accents, while the Limited trim provided a more upscale feel with chrome finishes, ambient lighting, and advanced options like a panoramic moonroof.

Meanwhile, the 2020 Honda Pilot followed the contemporary design trends of the Honda lineup, characterized by thin LED headlights and a multi-tiered grille. Despite its large size, the subtle uptick in the beltline around the rear side windows tricked the eye into viewing it as more compact than it actually was.

Inside, the Pilot boasted a modern, semi-digital instrument panel and a spacious, comfortable cabin. However, the use of hard plastics detracted from the refinement, especially when compared with competitors like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. The trim levels ranged from LX to the exclusive Black Edition, with each adding more sophisticated features like 20-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting, and power-folding mirrors. The Black Edition in particular was notable for its all-black aesthetic, adding an extra layer of exclusivity and style.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 came standard with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. This engine, coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission, powered either the front wheels or an optional all-wheel-drive system. There were two types of AWDs: a base offering and a more advanced torque-vectoring AWD, available in the Adventure and Limited trims. The torque-vectoring AWD could distribute power to the wheels that needed it most in real-time, enhancing off-road capability.

However, the 2.5-liter engine's performance was a mixed bag. While it provided decent acceleration on highways, it struggled in stop-and-go traffic due to its lack of low-end power, resulting in a somewhat sluggish feel and excessive noise. The ride quality was generally good but was marred by some steering twitchiness and substantial body roll. This made the driving experience somewhat awkward, particularly in fast corners. The RAV4's fuel economy stood out, achieving 27 mpg city and 34 highway in AWD configuration, with a combined observed fuel economy of 29.3 mpg.

The 2020 Honda Pilot featured a more robust 3.5-liter V6 engine across all trims, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The engine was paired with either a 6-speed or a 9-speed automatic transmission, depending on the trim. The Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims received the 9-speed variant, which offered smoother acceleration and better fuel economy.

Honda’s proprietary shifter button setup replaced the conventional shifter, which was met with mixed reviews due to its unintuitive design. However, the V6 engine provided solid acceleration and made passing maneuvers effortless. Despite its size, the Pilot managed to offer a refined and comfortable driving experience, albeit lacking in athleticism. The Intelligent Traction Management System allowed drivers to choose from Normal, Snow, Mud, and Sand modes, although it wasn’t designed for serious off-roading.

The interior of the 2019 Toyota RAV4 was designed to be clean, upscale, and practical. It offered plenty of storage space and spacious seating in both rows. The central stack pod featured climate controls, a large tray for small items, drive-mode controls, and a short, stocky shifter. Cargo space with the rear seats up was 37.6 cubic feet, which expanded to 69.8 cubic feet with the rear bench folded. While this was slightly less than rivals like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, it was still a commendable amount of space, outdoing competitors like the Mazda CX-5 and Jeep Cherokee.

Versatility was a key strength of the RAV4, with numerous places to store items, including deep center-control trays, door bins, and a hidden tray above the glove box. The rear armrest also folded out to provide additional cupholders.

By contrast, the 2020 Honda Pilot was more spacious, accommodating up to eight passengers with its second-row bench seating or seven with the optional captain’s chairs in the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims. The third-row seating was adult-friendly, a rarity among three-row SUVs. Cargo space was generous, offering 83.9 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded, which was competitive within its class. Rivals like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Subaru Ascent offered slightly more space, but the Honda Pilot still fared better than the Mazda CX-9.

The Pilot's interior was packed with practical features for family use. Higher trims offered a power liftgate and hands-free power tailgate, while the second-row captain’s chairs provided an easy passage to the third row. A clever conversation mirror was also included to help parents keep an eye on their kids in the rear seats.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4’s tech offerings began at the LE trim with a 7-inch touchscreen running Toyota’s Entune 3.0 system. This included Apple CarPlay but notably lacked Android Auto. The XLE trim added five USB ports distributed throughout the cabin. By contrast, the Adventure and Limited trims upgraded to an 8-inch screen and offered options like a JBL premium stereo system.

Entune’s interface was praised for its simplicity, featuring easy menu navigation and hard dials for essential functions like Volume, Tuning, and Climate controls. This balance of real dials and touchscreen functions made it user-friendly. The addition of Apple CarPlay was a significant update for Toyota, though Android Auto was still absent.

The 2020 Honda Pilot came standard with a 5-inch color LCD screen on its LX trim. Higher trims featured Honda’s Display Audio 8-inch touchscreen system that included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, Display Audio was criticized for its lack of a tuning knob and over-reliance on the touchscreen for basic functions. The interface was found to be confusing and not particularly user-friendly.

All trims above LX included HD Radio, SiriusXM, and the unique Cabin Control Remote Capability, which allowed rear passengers to control the stereo via a smartphone app. Higher trims also featured navigation, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a wall-style power outlet, with the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims receiving an upgraded 10-speaker premium audio system and mobile hotspot capability. The Elite and Black Edition also came standard with a wireless charging pad.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 offered a comprehensive suite of safety features, starting with a full array of airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Standard across all trims was Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control. This suite also added advanced features like traffic-sign detection and Lane-Tracing Assist, enhancing the vehicle’s safety profile.

The 2020 Honda Pilot matched this with its standard HondaSensing suite, encompassing forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Additional standard safety features included child-seat anchors, Vehicle Stability Assist, and traction control. Optional safety equipment included front and rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

The Honda Pilot earned top safety ratings from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), further affirming its reliability and safety credentials.