Honda Pilot vs Mazda CX-9 vs Toyota Highlander

478 messages, Last post on Nov 27, 2009 at 7:13 AM

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)

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#391 of 478 Re: Mercedes test drive? [ceric] by wdhyte Sep 01, 2009 (10:15 am)
Replying to: ceric (Sep 01, 2009 9:52 am) cool..yep, my middle name is handy actually, house/cars/bikes/etc., if its elec or mech I'll tackle it...being as its still so new (<500 mi) I'll prob defer to the dealer until it starts costing me for stuff, then I'll take care of it. sounds like the bulbs wouldn't be all that big a deal...thanks for the rep ceric.
#392 of 478 Re: Mercedes test drive? [ceric] by aviboy97 Sep 02, 2009 (6:20 am)
Replying to: ceric (Aug 31, 2009 2:10 pm) You have to show a valid title to prove that you own a Mazda for the loyalty program rebate. One owned by your immediate family (husband/wife) members may also be allowed (check with the salesperson). Mazda employee here...close, but, not quite! To qualify for the Owner Loyalty Rebate you need to show a current registration for the Mazda that is already owned plus a valid drivers license. This rebate is transferable in household only. Only family members living under the same roof can benefit from this rebate. Replies to this message: ceric (Sep 02, 2009 8:54 am) aviboy97 (Sep 02, 2009 12:20 pm)
#393 of 478 Re: Mercedes test drive? [aviboy97] by ceric Sep 02, 2009 (8:54 am)
Replying to: aviboy97 (Sep 02, 2009 6:20 am) That's why having you around here is nice. Thanks for clarifying. Replies to this message: aviboy97 (Sep 02, 2009 12:20 pm)
#394 of 478 Re: Mercedes test drive? [ceric] by aviboy97 Sep 02, 2009 (12:20 pm)
Replying to: ceric (Sep 02, 2009 8:54 am) That's why having you around here is nice. Thanks for clarifying Anytime
#395 of 478 Golf Bag test? by 4kids3dogs2cat Sep 17, 2009 (12:08 pm)
Has anyone done a comparison as to which of these cars (and the Lambda cars) can and can not fit a golf bag w/ clubs in the back of the car lengthwise? TIAFAR.
#396 of 478 sales, Sep, 2009 by ceric Oct 01, 2009 (12:16 pm)
Toyota Highlander: 5216 Honda Pilot: 5438 Mazda CX9: 1390 Replies to this message: legacygt (Oct 09, 2009 12:09 pm) citivas (Oct 09, 2009 1:27 pm) legacygt (Oct 12, 2009 10:06 am) and 7 more...
#397 of 478 Re: sales, Sep, 2009 [ceric] by legacygt Oct 09, 2009 (12:09 pm)
Replying to: ceric (Oct 01, 2009 12:16 pm) Considering that Toyota sells nearly 10 times as many vehicles as Mazda, I would imagine that Mazda is pretty happy with the way the CX9 is selling vs. the Highlander. I'm most surprised by the Pilot's success. This car has be universally panned by reviewers, most of whom agree that the current model is a step backwards. On top of that the car is expensive, ugly as can be, and somewhat truck-like in a market that is supposedly moving away from that image. I guess brand loyalty and a reputation for quality can go a long way. Replies to this message: citivas (Oct 09, 2009 1:27 pm) legacygt (Oct 12, 2009 10:06 am) vg33e power (Oct 12, 2009 11:38 am) citivas (Oct 12, 2009 11:54 am) and 5 more...
#398 of 478 Re: sales, Sep, 2009 [legacygt] by citivas Oct 09, 2009 (1:27 pm)
Replying to: legacygt (Oct 09, 2009 12:09 pm) It’s not even remotely true that the new Pilot was “almost universally panned” by the reviewers. The reviews were actually unusually polarized – usually there is a general consensus on a car in the professional community but in this case it got panned by some and lavishly lauded by others. Numerous prestigious sources gave it the top of its class or named it Car (or SUV) of the Year. So you must be reading a pretty selected subset of the major auto mags to come up with your conclusion. It’s also not fair to dismiss it as brand loyalty or quality. Our family were die-hard Toyota/Lexus fans, having had several vehicles from them and liked them all. We started out specifically looking at the Highlander and only considered other cars when we couldn’t bring ourselves to accept the significant compromises and limitations of that car. We test drive the Pilot early on and didn’t expect to end up with it because we didn’t like the look or finishes. But we did because in terms of features it was unmatched. Others who’ve posted here and elsewhere have said the same. In our case we weren’t even that price sensitive – we looked at the BMV, Audi, Acura, etc. too and none of them had all the benefits of the new Pilot. So we ended up with it by process of elimination – our first Honda ever. And it has become our favorite car ever. All five of my immediate family (including three kids), plus both set of grandparents love the pilot. One set of grandparents even has the Highlander Hybrid and now regret they didn’t get the Pilot. Our other car is a high-end Toyota Sienna and no one ever wants to be in it if they have a choice between it and the Pilot. It gets slightly better gas mileage than the Sienna too, and the Honda navigation blows the Toyota’s away. The full iPod integration is a favorite too – I couldn’t believe that they didn’t offer than in the Acura MDX cousin of the Pilot. Replies to this message: legacygt (Oct 12, 2009 10:06 am) vg33e power (Oct 12, 2009 11:38 am) citivas (Oct 12, 2009 11:54 am) ceric (Oct 12, 2009 1:00 pm) and 4 more...
#399 of 478 Re: sales, Sep, 2009 [citivas] by legacygt Oct 12, 2009 (10:06 am)
Replying to: citivas (Oct 09, 2009 1:27 pm) Reviews for the current Pilot were pretty poor, particularly in light of the praise showered on the prior version. Sure there were some decent reviews but Edmunds doesn't rank it too highly There are certainly plenty of good things you can say about it. This segment of the market has a lot of interesting cars and, unlike the minivan segment, they're not all marching to the beat of the same drummer. They all have strengths and there's something for everyone. The Pilot has great tech options and if you need 3 kids seats in the second row of your crossover, this is the one to get. But it has some major shortcomings as well: Fuel economy is no better than competition even though the car is neither extraordinarily powerful nor big. The styling is not particularly attractive although I guess some may like it. The brakes are pretty poor -- the Pilot may score well on crash tests but an additional 25 feet in 60-0 distance (vs. the CX-9) could mean the difference between a crash and a non-event. The price is relatively high and, if they're selling this well, dealers don't need to be as flexible in negotiations. Some may enjoy the Pilot. Is it better than the Highlander? I think so but that's faint praise. The Highlander (while also a strong seller) is not really a standout in this class either. It has a nice combination of power and fuel efficiency but there isn't too much else to distinguish it. We test drove many cars in this segment and, like I said, there's something for everyone. But for our family, the CX-9 and the GM Acadia/Enclave/Traverse stood out as being ahead of the pack. The Pilot and Highlander have some appeal but so do many others and I would say that if you take away the power of their brands, they are swimming in the same pool as the Hyundai Veracruz and Subaru Tribeca -- also good cars but not necessarily standouts. Replies to this message: vg33e power (Oct 12, 2009 11:38 am) citivas (Oct 12, 2009 11:54 am) ceric (Oct 12, 2009 1:00 pm) steve_ (Oct 12, 2009 2:16 pm) and 3 more...
#400 of 478 Re: sales, Sep, 2009 [legacygt] by vg33e power Oct 12, 2009 (11:38 am)
Replying to: legacygt (Oct 12, 2009 10:06 am) Although this is all subjective, I have to fully agree with legacygt. I have been working for Honda for the past 9 years and I have owned a handful of their vehicles, mainly Civics and Accords and one CR-V. Honda may build exceptional quality vehicles but they have always been weak when it comes to brakes. Braking takes a lot of effort and durability of components (rotors and pads) have a very short lifespan..think, warped rotors and premature wear on pads, just take a look at the forums in the current generation Accord rear brake problems. When my wife and I decided to buy our CX-9 we also test drove and looked at the Highlander, Acadia, and Pilot. Clearly you know who the winner was! The Highlander was as expected from a Toyota product with nice quality fit and finish and good power and brakes. The highlander lost due to its expensive price, somewhat cramped interior and just boring styling (Toyota, in my opinion, has always made great quality vehicles but their styling is ho-hum boring and bland). The Acadia although very nice it is very expensive as well and it just felt to big for us, sort of clumsy in spirited driving, however, very spacious and nice standard equipment. The Pilot was also very nice in the inside, very refined in every aspect, nice options and standard equipment. The deal killer was its dumb looking, ugly front end styling. Which brings me back to the begining of my post. Honda, in my opinion, has dramatically deteriorated in their exterior styling department. The Pilot's front end as mentioned above is just plain ugly and does not flow nicely with the rest of the body. The current generation Accord is also not the nicest Accord Honda has produced. It has protruding frog like headlamps, the rear end is plain unflowy if you will and the side body lines are unorthodox with the body stance. The Element is unique to put it simple and nicely, unless you go with the SC model you may as well drive a Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, or Scion xB...all ugly in my book. Honda even managed to screw up possibly what would have been the nicest CR-V ever with an ugly looking two piece grille that resembles buck teeth. The Ridgeline...not a true truck in my book, but pasable. Definately would not be my first choice if looking for a truck. Also, if guys get a chance take a peek at the upcoming Accord Crosstour and tell me if you can find something nice about this whale looking montrousity. And last but not least, lets not even touch Honda's Acura division because all of their line up has been hit and abused with the "Decade's Ugly Stick" So all in all I believe that Honda has managed to continue its quality of refinement, fit and finish, and reliability but I hope they don't rely on their styling to get their units sold because they will be in deep trouble if they continue this trend.