2025 Lexus RX Hybrid vs 2025 Honda Pilot

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trim levels, 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 model a more recommended choice. 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, while the Pilot's overall design aimed for a rugged appearance, especially in the TrailSport trim. The interior was thoughtfully designed with quality materials, though the digital driver display and infotainment system appeared dated.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid, particularly the RX 500h Black Line Special Edition, was priced at $75,000 and featured an exclusive Incognito paint job with orange brake calipers. Despite its price, the RX's design was unremarkable, with a large front grille and dramatic rear haunches. The RX lineup included three models: the RX 350h, RX 500h, and RX 450h+. The RX 350h was the base model with 246 horsepower and 36 mpg, while the RX 500h offered 366 hp and 27 mpg. The RX 450h+ was a plug-in hybrid with an estimated 37 miles of electric-only range. All models came with standard all-wheel drive, and the RX 500h was available in F Sport Performance and Black Line Special Edition trims. The RX's interior featured quality materials and ambient lighting, though the controls were a mix of baffling and brilliant. The RX avoided the common single curved display approach, maintaining a unique interior design.

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 drivetrain allowed most Pilot models to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Pilot offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. Models with Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) AWD system featured hill descent control and up to 7.3 inches of ground clearance, with the TrailSport offering 8.3 inches. The AWD system's torque vectoring allowed up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel. The V6 provided good acceleration, though the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was unimpressive, with an average of 20 mpg on the evaluation loop, falling short of the EPA rating of 21 mpg. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, with a compliant suspension that benefited typical driving situations.

In contrast, the 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid offered three models with varying performance. The RX 350h was the least powerful, with 246 hp and 233 pound-feet of torque from a hybrid powertrain based on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The RX 450h+ PHEV used the same engine with a larger battery pack, producing 304 hp and a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds. The RX 500h featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, and 366 hp with 406 lb-ft of torque. This model offered better acceleration but lower fuel economy. The RX 500h included a sport-tuned adaptive damping suspension, 21-inch wheels, and Lexus's Direct4 AWD system. The drivetrain provided plenty of power and quick acceleration, though it averaged just 20.9 mpg on the testing loop. The RX 500h's handling was capable but lacked communication between the road surface and the driver, making it more about sporty appearance and straight-line acceleration.

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 only offered four-way adjustment, which was a drawback for long road trips. The front seats were comfortable and supportive, with heating and ventilation. 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 included 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 86.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid focused on occupant comfort and practical cargo space. The RX 500h F Sport Performance's front seats were snug due to enhanced bolstering, and the automatic climate system's fan was loud. The rear seats were comfortable, with optional power-reclining, heated, and ventilated features. The RX offered ample room for adults and practical interior storage. The hands-free power liftgate revealed 29.6 cubic feet of cargo space, with hooks for grocery bags and a small storage space under the load floor. Folding the second row created 46.2 cubic feet of cargo volume, which was limited for a midsize SUV.

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. Highlights included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging. However, the wireless CarPlay function had issues, and the voice recognition system was hit-and-miss. The 12-speaker Bose audio system was adequate but not impressive. The Pilot's CabinTalk feature allowed communication with passengers over the stereo speakers, and a small head-up display met minimum technology expectations.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid met luxury vehicle standards with high-tech features. However, some expected features were optional, such as digital key functionality and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. The RX 500h featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 14-inch touchscreen display. The Lexus Interface infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a cloud-based navigation system. The RX offered generous subscriptions to connected services, including a three-year Drive Connect plan with a digital voice assistant. The optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system sounded great, though the steering wheel controls were distracting.

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

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid featured Safety Connect, providing automatic collision notification and emergency assistance. Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control. The RX also had blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Predictive Driving Assist was part of LSS+ 3.0, ensuring safe following distances. The RX's optional Convenience Package included a surround-view camera. The RX earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, though the IIHS rated it Poor in a frontal-impact test.