2025 Honda Pilot vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trims, including the Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The Sport trim was the most affordable, but it lacked many appealing amenities, making the leather-lined EX-L a recommended upgrade. Prices ranged from $40,200 to $54,580, plus a $1,395 destination charge. The Black Edition, evaluated in Southern California, featured a Modern Steel paint color and no additional options, bringing its MSRP to $55,975, including destination. This edition was based on the Pilot Elite and featured black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges. Inside, it boasted black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and red ambient lighting. The Black Edition's custom look was more suited for suburban environments, despite Honda's efforts to make the Pilot appear rugged with its 2023 redesign.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender, with its rugged appeal, offered a variety of customization options. The Defender 90 appeared stubby, while the 130 seemed visually heavy over its rear wheels, but the 110 four-door struck a balance. Base prices ranged from $58,525 for a 90 to $120,525 for a 130 V8, including a $1,625 destination charge. The new Defender OCTA, available only as a 110, was priced at $153,625. The test vehicle, a Defender 130 in X trim, included the Extended Black Exterior Pack and upgraded interior materials, with an MSRP of $106,092. It featured Gondwana Stone paint, which clashed with the orange brake calipers and delicate twin-spoke wheels. Inside, the Defender X upgraded to premium Windsor hides and Kvadrat fabric, with options for Ebony, Caraway, or Light Cloud upholstery. The interior maintained an industrial theme with quality materials, offering a purposeful look rather than traditional luxury.

The 2025 Honda Pilot was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, generating 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This setup allowed most Pilot models to tow up to 5,000 pounds. It offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. The AWD system, with torque vectoring, allowed up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel. The Pilot's V6 provided good acceleration, though the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was less impressive, with an observed 17.8 mpg in city driving and 20 mpg on the evaluation loop, falling short of the EPA's 21 mpg combined rating. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, aided by the Black Edition's 20-inch wheels and tires. While the Pilot could tackle challenging terrain, it was more suited for typical driving situations.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender's test vehicle featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, one of four powertrain options. Coupled with a mild-hybrid system, it produced 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission connected to a standard AWD system with a low-range setting for off-roading. The Defender 130 X could tow up to 8,200 pounds and accelerated to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. It came with an adaptive air suspension, hill descent control, and Terrain Response 2 driving modes. The Defender excelled off-road, with 11.4 inches of ground clearance and a maximum wading depth of 35.4 inches. On-road, the Defender 130 cruised comfortably but struggled with twisty mountain roads due to its weight and steering. The observed fuel economy was 16.2 mpg, lower than the expected 19 mpg combined rating.

The 2025 Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and thoughtful storage solutions. However, the Black Edition's front passenger seat lacked adjustability, which was a drawback for long trips. The second-row seats were roomy, with a removable center section for captain's chairs. The third row was habitable for adults if the second row slid forward. The Pilot featured a triple-zone automatic climate control system, heated outboard second-row seats, and a panoramic sunroof. Cargo space was 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 86.5 cubic feet with all rear seats folded.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 offered spacious seating across three rows, with 12-way power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and ventilation. The Defender's tall seating and large windows provided excellent visibility, though the square side mirrors seemed undersized. The panoramic sunroof and fixed glass panel over the third row added to the open feel. The Defender 130's second-row captain's chairs were heated and ventilated, with a four-zone climate control option. Cargo space was 15.3 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 89 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward, but a button in the cargo area allowed for easier loading by lowering the air suspension.

The 2025 Honda Pilot's technology appeared dated, with smaller display screens compared to rivals. The Black Edition featured a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. However, the wireless CarPlay function was problematic, and the voice recognition system often required multiple attempts. The CabinTalk feature allowed the driver to communicate with passengers over the stereo speakers, and a small head-up display was included.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with an 11.4-inch touchscreen and a configurable digital driver display. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and connected services. Pivi Pro's response to voice commands was slower than preferred, but its accuracy was impressive. The user experience was more intuitive, and the Meridian premium sound system was notable. The Defender also included a head-up display, a ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system, enhancing visibility and parking ease.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came with standard Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition added parking sensors and a multi-view camera system with TrailWatch technology. However, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems had issues, and the road sign recognition system was inaccurate. The Pilot earned high marks in crash tests, with a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with several driver aids, including automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. The lane-keep assist was decisive, though it occasionally attempted to steer the Defender into a turnout area. The adaptive cruise control operated smoothly, with minor issues in heavy traffic. Crash-test ratings for the Defender were unavailable at press time.