2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2021 Honda Pilot

The 2021 Honda Pilot aimed to balance styling with reliability, safety, comfort, and performance. Despite a 2019 refresh for a more rugged look and a 2020 Black Edition for a blacked-out aesthetic, the exterior design remained polarizing. The Pilot was available in seven trims: LX, EX, EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition, with prices ranging from $32,250 to $49,920. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional $2,000, except on the Elite and Black Edition trims where it was standard. The new Special Edition trim added black 20-inch alloy wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, wireless smartphone charging, and a hands-free power tailgate. The Black Edition, fully loaded with exclusive black leather upholstery and red accents, had a window sticker of $51,435, including a $395 Platinum White Pearl paint job and a $1,120 destination charge. The interior featured quality materials, but the design felt more like a minivan, which, along with its drab exterior, did not enhance its appeal.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design with flared fender arches and a distinctive third-row window. Despite its spacious interior, the design made it appear smaller. The XSE trim, with its bold red optional leather package and navy blue exterior, stood out. The XSE also had unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and a sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander was available in six trims: L, LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum. The base L trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, pushbutton start, three-zone climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Higher trims added features like LED fog lights, a smart key system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power liftgate, and more. The Limited and Platinum trims offered upscale features like heated and ventilated front seats, genuine leather upholstery, and a hands-free power liftgate. The Platinum trim added adaptive headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a panoramic sunroof, and a 360-degree parking camera.

The 2021 Honda Pilot was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided smooth and refined power delivery, making the SUV quick to accelerate. A nine-speed automatic transmission powered the front wheels, with an available torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system that could send up to 70% of engine output to a single rear wheel. The Pilot featured Hill Start Assist and Intelligent Traction Management with Normal, Snow, Mud, and Sand modes. Fuel-saving measures included variable-cylinder management and automatic engine stop/start, with an EPA rating of 22 mpg combined for the AWD model. The test vehicle averaged 21.5 mpg. The Pilot's MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension provided a comfortable ride and unexpectedly athletic handling, aided by the torque-vectoring AWD system and 20-inch wheels. However, the brakes tended to heat up and vibrate with prolonged use. Off-road capability was limited by its 7.3 inches of ground clearance and all-season tires.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The transmission featured a tap-shift function and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on certain trims. Drive modes included Sport, Normal, and Eco, with AWD models offering Mud/Sand, Rock, and Normal modes. The V6 engine provided better pickup once the Highlander was moving, with plenty of power for highway overtakes and a throaty exhaust note. The Highlander handled well in various scenarios, with the XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reducing body roll while remaining comfortable over bumps. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2021 Honda Pilot offered ample room for a family, seating up to eight people with a second-row bench seat. The test vehicle's leather-wrapped, heated, and ventilated front seats were comfortable, with 10-way power adjustment for the driver and four-way adjustment for the front passenger. Second-row captain’s chairs were optional on the Touring trim and standard on Elite and Black Edition models, providing nearly as much comfort as the front seats and sliding forward for easier third-row access. The third-row seat was less comfortable for adults due to a low and flat bottom cushion. Storage was abundant, with compartments in the door panels, center console, and front seatback pockets. The Pilot offered 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 46.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 83.9 cubic feet.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander provided up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded, 48.4 cubic feet with the second row in use, and 16 cubic feet with all seats deployed. Lowering and raising the seats was easy with quick-release latches and pull-straps. Trims above the base L included a power liftgate, with hands-free operation on Limited and Platinum trims. The base L trim featured an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and deep cargo pockets in the front doors. The center dash and console compartments offered ample storage, and the third row had cupholders on both sides. The XSE trim's second-row captain’s chairs provided a center aisle to the third row, which was spacious for adults, though the third row was only tolerable for short trips.

The 2021 Honda Pilot featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, text-messaging support, satellite radio, and a basic version of HondaLink connected services. The Special Edition added wireless phone charging, while the Touring trim included navigation, HondaLink subscription services with a WiFi hotspot, and a 10-speaker premium audio system. The infotainment system was adequate but had a small screen and lacked a tuning knob. The voice-recognition technology required specific prompts, and HondaLink services were limited to higher trims. The Touring trim also added a rear-seat entertainment system, a 115-volt power outlet, an HDMI port, and a Cabin Talk feature for communicating with rear-seat passengers.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The infotainment system had a straightforward layout with hard buttons on either side of the screen. The XSE trim featured a wireless charging pad and a combination of USB and USB-C ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen was available, along with a digital instrument panel screen and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system.

The 2021 Honda Pilot came standard with Honda Sensing, a package of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Starting with the EX trim, the Pilot also included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning. The older version of Honda Sensing was functional but not very smooth. The Pilot received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and "good" ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), except for an "acceptable" score for front passenger small overlap frontal-impact protection.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with Toyota Safety Sense, which included forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. All trims except the base L included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional or higher trims offered front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes overly so, especially on back roads.