The Showdown! Toyota Grand Highlander vs. Honda Pilot Comparison

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE vs. 2024 Honda Pilot Touring.
Thanks to:
Evans Toyota of Fort Wayne www.evanstoyota.com/
Don Ayres Honda of Fort Wayne www.donayreshonda.com/
automobiles.honda.com/pilot
www.toyota.com/grandhighlander/

[@viviandawson3633]

Release of gas cap in Toyota works for me, work for large company another employee cypher gas from car. Inside release for gas perfect. Need a gas cap lock regardless.

[@peterandrewj]

I like the AWD system in the Pilot, and the price.

[@yawk1683]

Great review, Chad! I have the Grand Highlander in hybrid. It drives smoothly, and it's super quiet.

[@yahooskip]

Awesome. This is the model I'm expecting next week. Fingers crossed. GHL Limited Base Hybrid. And if we are lucky and it gets here before the end of the month (it's suppose to be by the 23rd), we will be hitting the road on an 8 week trip with our new ride. If not, a bit disappointed, but we'll just have to do it with our current Highlander Limited.

[@yawk1683]

@@yahooskip That will be epic. I hope you get it sooner. What color are you getting? I got white exterior with gray interior (bench seat)

[@yahooskip]

Red / Black - Wanted the bench seat, but it was going to be 2 to 4 months lom=nger to get, and not willing to wait that much longer. Place our name on "The List"! back in September

[@yawk1683]

@@yahooskip Excellent choice! The wait is crazy. I waited for 2 month but eventually got it out of state. Good luck!

[@yahooskip]

Thanks. It shows up on the Toyota Allocation sheets, and the dealer said they were told they should have it by the 23rd … here's hoping

[@johndale8614]

Why wouldn't you compare the EX L with the XLT? I'd take the 3.5 all day vs that 2.4 turbo. 3.5 is a very reliable engine. This new turbo 4cyl is yet to be proven.

[@Chadscarcomps]

Thanks for the comment. I would have loved to test the GH with the V6. Grand Highlanders are nearly impossible to find on dealer lots. The one I had access to was the 4 cylinder, sadly

[@robmalcolm8042]

Yeah maybe against this one it ain't proven but the regular hybrid grand highlander with the proven hybrid and multi port/direct injection blows that gdi direct injected timing belt leaking oil crap away lol. There's even a few years old examples with over 400,000 miles. A full on direct injection isn't doing that without a lot of maintenance

[@elliott3991]

@@Chadscarcomps there is no 6 cylinder grand highlander. 2.4 turbo, or 2.5 non turbo with hybrid that gets great mpg, or the Max hybrid which is 2.4 turbo and different arranged electric hybrid for power, not as much mpg.

[@johnhughes7491]

Will Honda be coming out with a hybrid pilot

[@Chadscarcomps]

I have not seen any indication from Honda about putting in a hybrid to the Pilot or Odyssey. I would expect to see them incorporate a hybrid powertrain in the next generation of the Pilot (3-4 years away). Odyssey gets redesigned next year, so that may give us a clue

[@AhmedMohamed-ng1wv]

Honda’s infotainment screen is tiny I wish they upgraded to the 12 inch display

[@MsniperOsniper]

Definitely Honda!

[@sw6155]

Should have put 2 car seats on the middle row… That what it’ll be used for…

[@Chadscarcomps]

Two car seats or a whole bunch of middle school kids. :-)

[@freedeeztallbikes82]

Highlander is a superior car by a super long shot this is the base level the platinum is AMAZING

[@travisstrickland7270]

How so. 🤔

[@Twisty805]

You should’ve don’t eye Elite for the Honda

[@gdt5430]

No second row bench seat in the Toyotas upper trims and that 4 banger turbo, these were deal killers, going Honda Pilot. Only people that know nothing about engines would go with 4 cylinder turbo. Non-Turbo only way to go for a gas engine regardless if it's hybrid or not.

[@elliott3991]

second highest trim has second row bench option in Limited trim for gas, or the fuel saving hybrid model. Bench not available on limited hybrid max power version

[@Mr-Faraz92]

GH always because of Hybrid Fuel ⛽️ prices Hurts 😢

[@avantfarms]

grand highlander

[@Pork_Chop76]

Toyota make a superior product to Honda… no contest.

[@user-si2rs4xy7x]

Had a 22 piolet with problems so I traded up to the grandhighlander which is far superior to the honda elite I had owned.

[@travisstrickland7270]

Really. How so? 🤔

[@sw6155]

Pilot Touring is too expensive… I’d have compared the Toyota XLE with the lower Pilot EX-L

[@Chadscarcomps]

Unfortunately I only have access to what the dealers have. I would have liked to had a grand highlander that was more in line with what the Pilot was.

[@davewilson7602]

Pilot if you’re comparing to a gas grand highlander

[@chadcrotts870]

Good info but the video exposure is way off.

[@Chadscarcomps]

Thanks for the comment. Someone else mentioned this and I am not sure what my video software is doing with the exposure. I think I have found a workaround for my latest 2 comparisons. The original video footage is spot on.

[@ginomartire4726]

Honda all the way for ever

[@saeedm27]

Your comparing basic model grand highlander to a upper trim honda pilot. Alot of reviews does the exact same thing. If you're reviewing 2 vehicles at the same time. You should compare them with the same trim level.

[@Chadscarcomps]

Unfortunately, Grand Highlanders are very difficult to get my hands on. Dealers simply don't have them. I was fortunate Evans Toyota had 2 GH on the lot. They had just received them a few days before. I always look to compare similar trim levels (see my Accord/Camry comparison coming later today) as this provides a more apples to apples comparison.

[@iggibars]

Funny you say that, but don't realize the GH and Pilot DO NOT have directly competing trim levels. They are all at different prices compared to each other when you look at the options that they come with. XLE also is not a "base" trim. It's just the lowest trim currently offered for the GH. The EXL and XLE trims do not compare to each other. So what are you really looking for? Even in the more expensive Limited trim, the GH still has fake leather seats compared to real leather seats that come standard on an EXL Pilot that's thousands less. There will never be a comparison that favors the GH when you compares options to price. Not to mention, the awd in the GH is dogshit compared to the Pilot.

[@jessicanetro6433]

Honda all the way

[@manojkey1]

Pilot! Power is matter when loaded with passengers, but the infotainment system and cam , super outdated !

[@Chadscarcomps]

I agree with you. This was a big miss for Honda. It was just redesigned for 2023 and can only be had with an old-looking 9" screen? Maybe when they do a mid-cycle refresh at year 3 (typical Honda cycle) they will change the dash a bit to accommodate an 11 or 12" screen (or bigger)!

[@axx8326]

4 cilinders turbo with questionable reliability backed by the Toyota's name VS a 6 cilinders no gimmicks with a Honda checkered past in terms of oil consumption, VCM etc. yet almost on par with Toyota in terms of reliability. Decisions...decisions.....

[@R2sojr09]

Honda redid the V6 and also the 10 speed Transmission

[@be4unvme]

A lot of folks say the transmission is jerky ​@@R2sojr09

[@robmalcolm8042]

Yeah and honda is gdi or direct injection only. Toyotas direct with multi port to help clean the engine design has gone high miles even with a few year older models.

[@robmalcolm8042]

Also the middle option regular hybrid grand highlander doesn't have a turbo it's just d4s 4 cylinder with hybrid. That turbo crap is only the gas turbo and hybrid max with the turbos.

[@Twisty805]

For that price, the pilot should have the 12.5 inch tablet on the dash

[@ChrisMaj]

Are you driving, or do you wanna watch tv.

[@Twisty805]

@@ChrisMaj if I wanted to watch tv, I’d waste money on a useless Tesla. And as for your question, I’m paying a premium price, I expect a better and bigger screen on the dash like Toyotas and at least like the accord with the 12 inch screen.

[@modernsoccer1860]

​@@Twisty805 and do what with the large screen?

[@christianhowe979]

☺️ 'promo sm'

[@robmalcolm8042]

The smaller engine will still be more reliable at least the regular hybrid version (not the hybrid max or turbo gas one) same true and proven hybrid train from the regular highlander and d4s direct injection with multi port which i dont think any honda even has any multi port anymore and ive heard so many issue with honda pilots and leaks plus timing belt engine still? Wth? Lol

[@Chadscarcomps]

I agree about the Pilot and the timing belt setup. Sadly, that increases the cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle