Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-9 vs Toyota Highlander

472 messages, Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 5:09 PM

You are in the Mazda CX-9 Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester

What is this discussion about? Mazda CX-9, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Car Comparisons, SUV

2009 Honda Pilot vs. 2008 Mazda CX-9 vs. 2008 Toyota Highlander - Although we've been hearing about a mad dash to get out of sport-utility vehicles and into fuel-efficient compacts, the reality is that seven- and eight-passenger crossover SUVs like the 2008 Mazda CX-9, 2008 Toyota Highlander and 2009 Honda Pilot aren't going away anytime soon. (more)

Outline

Messages Page 23 of 48: 1; ...; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; ...; 48; Prev; Next; Last

#215 of 472 by citivas Sep 02, 2008 (6:44 am)
I disagree. You keep arguing that they had to make economic trade-offs and my point is I don't think that had anything to do with it. If you're logic were true, then a few other things would also be true: 1) That they made the exact same decision with virtually every other vehicle in its first 2-3 model years and in case-after-case the "market demanded they add it." If that were true, then they look pretty dumb for not eventually getting a clue that there is a pattern. This is their SOP with first year Limited's. They did the same with the Camry, the Sienna, the Sequoia, etc. And in case-after-case, gee surprise, memory seats show up as a new model year differentiator in the 3rd or 4th year. Consistently. I’ve had this conversation with several Toyota dealers and they all take it as a given too that this is simply Toyota’s way of holding back something to add to the model later, as part of their plan from the start. 2) That despite over a dozen models in the CUV class, Toyota alone believes the memory seat is not an important feature for their Limited customers. To your example, GMC was alone in leaving out Bluetooth and now is having to correct it. Generally if everyone is providing the feature except one, it’s pretty rare the one is right where everyone else is wrong. At least GMC had a reason for leaving out the Bluetooth – loyalty to their internal product offering. It’s not likely that Toyota simply misjudged the marketplace on this – they know they have gotten dinged on lack of memory seats again and again in comparative reviews, etc. This was simply about release timing. 3) If it were about saving money there would have to be real savings for them. But they use basically the same seat with very minor tweaking on multiple vehicles, like the Sienna, and they have memory seats for it already. And since they can market it as an option, it actually can be profitable since options carry a better margin than the car itself in most cases. I wager any amount of money that memory seats show up on the Highlander Limited within 2 years – it would have been sooner but the scale back in the ’09 production may have slowed it. This won’t be Toyota “responding to the customer.” This will be Toyota executing the next step in a plan that has been on the drawing board for years. That is what is cynical about it. Replies to this message: ceric (Sep 02, 2008 2:55 pm) ceric (Sep 03, 2008 9:06 am) qs933 (Sep 03, 2008 10:46 pm) citivas (Sep 04, 2008 7:40 pm) qs933 (Sep 04, 2008 10:09 pm) ch1rravu (Sep 05, 2008 6:09 am) and 4 more...
#216 of 472 Direct Injection by ceric Sep 02, 2008 (2:55 pm)
Replying to: citivas (Sep 02, 2008 6:44 am) GM throws in the direct injection to their quadruplet (Acadia, Outlook, Enclave, and Traverse). All get a bump in horsepower, torque and MPG by 1 (both city/highway). Let us hope that Toyota, Honda, and Mazda (Ford) follow suit. Direct Injection is the technology that improve torque (therefore horsepower) of gas ICE by 5-10%. We will see DI as common as overhead cam today within 5 years.
#217 of 472 Re: [citivas] by ceric Sep 03, 2008 (9:06 am)
Replying to: citivas (Sep 02, 2008 6:44 am) citivas, It looks like your wish just got granted. 8-way power driver's seat is now available on Highlander 2009 model. Also available is the 4-cylinder (2.7L) engine with 2-row of seats. "The new engine will come standard on the Highlander grade two-wheel-drive model equipped with two rows of seats, contributing to its excellent value. A third row seat package will also be available for families requiring additional seating capacity. Other key optional equipment will include an eight-way power driver's seat, manual rear air conditioning, and an AM/FM/six-disc CD Changer with satellite radio capability, MP3/WMA capability and six speakers."
#218 of 472 by citivas Sep 03, 2008 (10:18 am)
Too late for me since I pulled the trigger, but it does just reinforce what I predicted. Toyota always does this. They weren't saving money, they always planned to add it and held it back just to be able to makret changes year-over-year... Any word on whether they fixed the third-row seat? That would truly make it more competitive.
#219 of 472 August sales by ceric Sep 03, 2008 (12:28 pm)
1st: Pilot: 11276 (some of them are probably older one - no way of knowing) 2nd: Highlander: 8070 (1277 hybrids) = 6793 (excluding hybrids) 3rd: CX-9: 3173 Replies to this message: aviboy97 (Sep 03, 2008 1:56 pm) ceric (Sep 04, 2008 9:17 am) citivas (Sep 04, 2008 7:45 pm) and 1 more... kanada (Sep 04, 2008 3:23 pm) citivas (Sep 04, 2008 7:42 pm) nxs138 (Sep 06, 2008 3:47 pm)
#220 of 472 Re: [qs933] by klam Sep 03, 2008 (12:29 pm)
Replying to: qs933 (Sep 01, 2008 4:02 pm) I would like to mention that the Pilot EX-L has a rear view backup camera without the need for Navi. The screen appears on the rear view mirror and takes up maybe 1/3 or less of it when it's on. For me that is better than looking down at your dash when viewing the camera while backing up. Replies to this message: maltb (Sep 03, 2008 12:42 pm)
#221 of 472 Re: [klam] by maltb Sep 03, 2008 (12:42 pm)
Replying to: klam (Sep 03, 2008 12:29 pm) The same is true with the CX-9. All three are buying the same mirror from the same company and offer it as an accessory.
#222 of 472 Re: [ch1rravu] by ch1rravu Sep 03, 2008 (1:49 pm)
Replying to: ch1rravu (Jul 28, 2008 10:39 am) Interesting we were just talking about V4/I4's need, and 'yota folks are thinking along the same lines. Guess the gas prices rope'em in .. they shoulda had this 4-cyl mode from the very beginning of Highlander's model beginning. Folks seems to have posted Aug sales figures. Nice doing Pilot .. I bet Pilot's numbers are mostly due to incentive/rebate pricing more than its real-world MPG .. but gas prices are slowly settling down, mebbe its not as big a concern anymore .? Thoughts guys ..?
#223 of 472 Re: August sales [ceric] by aviboy97 Sep 03, 2008 (1:56 pm)
Replying to: ceric (Sep 03, 2008 12:28 pm) I'm surprised with the Pilot sales being higher then the Highlander. The CX-9 sales seem right on par with what they (Mazda) expected. Replies to this message: ceric (Sep 04, 2008 9:17 am) citivas (Sep 04, 2008 7:45 pm) ceric (Sep 04, 2008 9:48 pm)
#224 of 472 SUV shopping by eagle63 Sep 03, 2008 (6:10 pm)
I'm in the market for a new SUV and both the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander are on my short list of rigs to check out. I currently own a 2001 Tahoe, and am looking for something a bit smaller. (but definitely not a compact suv - more like a medium sized suv) I've got a million questions, but my primary one right now is with the size difference between the Highlander and the Pilot. My assumption based on seeing them on the highways is that the Pilot is considerably larger. But after looking at the cubic feet of cargo room I'm perplexed - the Highlander shows a max of 95 cu. ft and the Pilot only 88. (I'm assuming "max cargo" means with all rear seats folded down) Are these 2 suv's really in the same class? Are my eyes deceiving me?? Thanks! Replies to this message: ceric (Sep 04, 2008 9:26 am)