2020 Honda Pilot vs 2020 Toyota Highlander

From a side view, the 2020 Toyota Highlander appeared relatively nondescript. When compared to its predecessor, Toyota enhanced the aesthetic with a more slanted tailgate glass and body panels featuring pronounced creases tracing wide arcs around its fenders. The distinctive Toyota trapezoidal theme defined several key elements: the tailgate’s license plate cutout, rear bumper, headlights, grille, and lower front bumper. Every trim except the base L boasted projector-beam LED headlights and fog lights, with more refined LED running lamps available on the higher Limited and Platinum trims. The introduction of large 20-inch wheels for these top trims further emboldened its design. Unique paint colors like Blueprint on the Limited model stood out as particularly appealing features. While the exterior did not excite many, it was in no way unappealing.

Toyota’s meticulous attention to the Highlander’s cabin was evident, prioritizing quality fit and finish. Silver-painted accents adorned the armrests, three-spoke steering wheel, and robust gear selector, complementing the multi-layered dash highlighted by an 8-inch touchscreen and polished black plastic climate controls. The color combinations were aesthetically pleasing across all trims, with the Limited model featuring a sophisticated three-tone interior. The test car combined brown on the upper dash, lower dash, and door panels with beige and black on various other components. Rich textures and padded surfaces dominated, excluding the middle door panel sections. This level of detail exceeded that of many competitors, including the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer, rivaling only the Kia Telluride. The Limited edition even featured leatherette with perforated textures and diamond quilting on the Platinum’s seat backrests, contrasting with the relatively lackluster exterior styling.

The overall design of the 2020 Honda Pilot aligned harmoniously with Honda's contemporary aesthetics. It displayed thin LED headlights and a multi-tiered grille that gave it a sleek look, with a slight elevation in the beltline around the rear windows subtly minimizing the vehicle’s actual size. The interior presented a modern feel, characterized by a semi-digital instrument panel with analog fuel and engine-temperature gauges and a digital screen right in front of the driver for all other information.

The cabin, comfortable and spacious, reflected a solid refinement level but still used hard plastics in several areas. Although reasonably refined, competitors like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Mazda CX-9 presented more luxurious interiors. The Pilot offered trim levels from LX to the elite Black Edition. The base LX provided basic yet essential features, while the integration of advanced tech and amenities increased with higher trims. The EX trim, notably, stood out for its inclusion of modern conveniences like remote start, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Smart Entry. More plush features were available in the upper trims, with the luxurious Elite and Black Edition boasting superior amenities like a panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, and distinctive black-painted wheels for the Black Edition.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander housed a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine accessible in either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Unlike several competitors with turbochargers and smaller-displacement four-cylinder engines, this V6 offered smooth and powerful acceleration without excessive exertion. Sharing the powertrain with the Lexus RX, it was commendably quiet at idle and matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup capitalized on the engine’s 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, though initiating a kickdown needed a firm foot pressure. While the V6 displayed a certain laziness comparable to a Mercedes engine, it was capable of rapid acceleration when necessary.

Critiques of the Highlander’s performance included its loose steering that required consistent adjustments at highway speeds and a soft suspension with considerable rebound. Despite expectations for improved control on its new, stiffer chassis shared with the Toyota RAV4, its handling remained less refined. Highlander's size and weight were always palpable, suggesting a sprightlier feel would have been preferable, especially for a vehicle designed to transport six or seven passengers. Fortunately, it provided an exceptionally calm and isolating driving experience, ideal for long road trips.

The higher Limited and Platinum trims featured torque vectoring on the rear axle for AWD models, aiding cornering, and selectable driving modes that adjusted throttle, transmission, and steering responses, including two off-road settings for sand and mud. Notably, the Highlander FWD achieved impressive fuel economy ratings of 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined; the AWD version delivered 20/27/23 mpg. Even more impressive was the hybrid variant, capable of reaching up to 36 mpg combined, thanks to an effective auto stop-start feature and customizable settings.

Similarly, a 3.5-liter V6 engine powered the 2020 Honda Pilot across all trims, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This power was channeled through a 6-speed automatic transmission on lower trims (LX, EX, and EX-L) and a more refined 9-speed automatic on the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trims. The latter promised better acceleration and improved fuel efficiency. However, Honda’s unique shifter button setup that replaced the conventional shifter created a learning curve for users accustomed to traditional controls.

The Honda Pilot delivered a smooth and comfortable driving experience suitable for everyday commutes and long road trips. While not the fastest in the segment, its acceleration was sufficient for typical driving needs. Drive modes enabled the driver to adapt to different driving conditions with options for Normal, Snow, Mud, and Sand. Although these modes didn’t transform the Pilot into an off-roading beast, they provided adequate adaptability for varying terrains.

The Highlander's interior flexibility accommodated different seating needs, offering configurations for seven passengers with available second-row captain’s chairs or seating for eight with a bench. The top-of-the-line Platinum model only featured captain’s chairs, while the L and LE trims were bench-only. The Limited model offered a no-cost bench option. Versatility in the second-row seating included generous adjustments and easy access to the third row, complemented by exceptional ingress and egress due to wide-opening rear doors. The Highlander’s three-zone climate provided comfort, and upper trims featured additional luxuries such as a 120-volt rear outlet, side window shades, and a heated second row. The expansive cargo space included 16 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 48 cubic feet with the third row folded, and an impressive 84 cubic feet with both rows down.

Compared to the Highlander, the Honda Pilot’s 8-passenger capacity with bench seating in the second row (or 7-passenger with captain’s chairs in higher trims) created a versatile and spacious cabin. Notably, the Pilot's third-row seats were adult-friendly, an advantage over several cramped rivals. One-touch fold-down rear seats in the EX trims and higher facilitated seamless access to the third row.

With both the second and third rows folded, the Pilot offered 83.9 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly less than the Highlander’s 84.3 cubic feet but still competitive within the segment. Other contenders like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Subaru Ascent offered marginally more space, while the Volkswagen Atlas surpassed all with 96.8 cubic feet. Unlike the more upscale but more cargo-limited Mazda CX-9, the Pilot balanced family usability with decent storage capacity. Upper trims featured convenient amenities like a power liftgate and hands-free capability on Touring and higher models. The Pilot essentially mirrored the family-friendly functionalities of a Honda Odyssey minivan, incorporating multiple storage spaces and child-friendly features such as a conversation mirror for easy monitoring of rear-seat passengers.

Despite being a new model, the 2020 Toyota Highlander's infotainment system felt outdated. Both the 12.3-inch and standard 8-inch touchscreens had low-resolution maps and camera displays, with no onboard apps and a cumbersome phone connection process. The 12.3-inch screen never utilized its full potential, as it constantly displayed information like climate control and fuel economy alongside the maps, hindering its effectiveness. However, the inclusion of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration ensured basic connectivity. The saving graces for tech in the Highlander were the comprehensive 10-inch head-up display and a sharp 7-inch display in the instrument panel, both providing valuable information. The semi-automated driving aids—adaptive cruise control, road sign detection, and automatic high beams—were robust. Furthermore, the JBL audio system and other features like satellite radio and Wi-Fi enhanced the driving experience.

In contrast, the Honda Pilot equipped most trims with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, excluding the base LX which had a 5-inch LCD screen. All but the base trim came with HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Despite these features, the Pilot's Display Audio interface suffered from usability issues, particularly its lack of a tuning knob and the reliance on a suboptimal touchscreen system. The rear-seat entertainment system, available from the EX-L trim upwards, added practicality for families. Higher trims included advanced tech like navigation and upgraded audio systems. The Touring, Elite, and Black Edition came with mobile hotspot capability, while the Elite and Black Edition featured a wireless charging pad, adding layers of convenience.

Standard safety features in the 2020 Toyota Highlander came under the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 umbrella, offering automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Optional features like blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors further enhanced safety. Toyota equipped the vehicle with a driver’s knee airbag and a cushion airbag for the front passenger. Although NHTSA had not rated the 2020 model, the IIHS awarded it a 2020Top Safety Pick, thanks to top ratings in all crash tests and excellent emergency braking performance.

The Honda Pilot also focused heavily on safety with the standard HondaSensing suite, comprising forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Front and side-impact airbags, child-seat anchors, and stability and traction control were standard, with optional safety tech like front and rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring available. The Pilot achieved a five-star overall crash test rating from the NHTSA and the best scores possible from the IIHS, highlighting its robust safety credentials bolstered by the Honda Sensing suite's advanced features.