- #1 of 21
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Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander
by tornadog
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Jul 15, 2009 (7:43 pm)
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I have a 08 Honda CRV LX. We are having another addition in our family and we wanted an SUV that can seat at least 7 without putting too much strain on my pocket. I have a general bias towards Honda cars, but all the tests and reviews seem to think the Highlander is ahead. I dont see too many user reviews for the 2010 Pilot. Anyone care to help me out?
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- #2 of 21
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Re: Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander [tornadog]
by bigdadi118
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Jul 15, 2009 (8:04 pm)
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Replying to: tornadog (Jul 15, 2009 7:43 pm)
reviews for the 2010 Pilot? Yopu can pretty much use the reviews for the 2009, majoritily no change.
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- #3 of 21
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Re: Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander [tornadog]
by zdogs
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Jul 16, 2009 (11:51 am)
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Replying to: tornadog (Jul 15, 2009 7:43 pm)
Just got an '09 Pilot EX for my growing family and I really like it. (Although we had an '03 Highlander Limited several years ago and liked it, too.) I've never been in the new Highlander and understand it's bigger than the '03, but I still don't think it has as much space as the Pilot. Plus, the 3rd row seat in the Highlander is not a split-fold meaning the entire seat is either up or down. The split-fold 3rd row in the Pilot is really convenient. It may just come down to what options are must-haves for you. I do like the simplicity of the Honda configurations, but I wish they had one more level between the EX and the Touring. I wish they had a true EX-L (meaning the EX with the addition of leather seats only). They could then do an EX-LS that was more like today's EX-L that includes the sunroof and the other things. I would have liked the leather, but ended up going with the EX because I couldn't see paying an extra $3,500 when all I really wanted was the leather seats.
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- #4 of 21
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Thanks
by tornadog
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Jul 16, 2009 (12:46 pm)
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thank you for your feedback. I have always been a Honda person. Whats additional in the EX trim over the LX trim. If I may ask how much did u end up paying for it?
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- #5 of 21
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Re: Thanks [tornadog]
by jpettibone
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Jul 16, 2009 (2:20 pm)
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Replying to: tornadog (Jul 16, 2009 12:46 pm)
We were in the same situation (owned a CR-V), and got the Highlander instead. Part of that was because of how Honda treated us when our A/C exploded, but part of it was also because the Highlander was a more manageable size, got better gas mileage (v-6 & 4 cyl), and generally performs better. Coming from the CR-V, the new Pilot was simply larger than I wanted to drive & park. I might have gone with the older pilot, but the new one is just too big. Test drive both to see what you think.
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- #6 of 21
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seat capacity
by tornadog
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Jul 16, 2009 (5:20 pm)
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For me, the seating capacity is a huge reason for going from the crv. Absolutely need 6+ capacity. I havent drivn either but the Highlander looks like it would be a tight squeeze for seven adults, while the Pilot looks much larger and roomy.
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- #7 of 21
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Re: Thanks [tornadog]
by zdogs
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Jul 16, 2009 (5:25 pm)
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Replying to: tornadog (Jul 16, 2009 12:46 pm)
Going to the EX from the LX adds:
-Fog Lights
-Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control System with Humidity Control And Air Filtration
-Driver's Seat with 10-Way Power Adjustment, Including Power Lumbar Support
-AM/FM/6-Disc Audio System with 7 Speakers, Including Subwoofer
-XM® Radio
-17-Inch Machine-Finished Alloy Wheels
I think the alloys, better audio system, and rear air are definitely worth the extra cost (I can't stand the steel wheels on the LX). As jpettibone says though, the Highlander may be a little more maneuverable than the Pilot, but I really wanted the extra space. I moved to the Pilot from an Accord and I've had no trouble with the extra size. Again though, with Toyota, you can add individual options for the most part and configure the car how you want rather than having to go with Honda's pre-configured packages. As for pricing, I think I got a great deal on one of the last '09s the dealer had in stock. Got an EX for $25,250 right at the end of June.
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- #8 of 21
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Re: Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander [tornadog]
by kharris
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Jul 18, 2009 (6:14 am)
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Replying to: tornadog (Jul 15, 2009 7:43 pm)
I bought an 09 Highlander sport in April and am pleased with it. However, I looked at and drove the 09 Pilot EXL and you definitely get more for your money with the Pilot. It has noticeably more interior room, included standard features such as roof rack cross rails, body side moldings, dual exhaust system, more sophisticated AWD system. So why didn't I get it? My small old house has a small old garage and I would have to get out and fold the side mirrors(or at least one of them) each time I went in or out. The Pilot is considerably higher and wider than the Highlander. It's also not quite as nimble and a bit more sluggish. The engine has a timing belt rather than a chain which requires an expensive replacement at specified time/mileage intervals. Still, as I said, more for your money.
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- #9 of 21
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Re: Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander [kharris]
by tornadog
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Jul 19, 2009 (10:19 am)
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Replying to: kharris (Jul 18, 2009 6:14 am)
after test driving both, I am inclined towards the Pilot, but does not look like I can get a good deal on the Pilots now. So I may go for the highlander if I can get a good enough deal, or even get the CX-9 which I have yet to testdrive.
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- #10 of 21
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Re: Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander [tornadog]
by ptf205
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Jul 19, 2009 (5:08 pm)
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Replying to: tornadog (Jul 19, 2009 10:19 am)
Just thought I'd throw my 2c in if anyone finds it helpful. My wife and I test drove the Pilot (EX-L) and the Highlander (base) today. We went in thinking we'd end up with the Pilot because it has a little extra room, but both were surprised when we came away liking the Highlander better hands down. Relative to the Highlander, we both felt the Pilot felt more like driving a truck. The Highlander handled much better. The 3rd row seat in both is too small to be used on a regular basis (in our opinion), but it's a nice feature to have if you just want to cart a bunch of people short distances once in a while. Pilot 3rd row was a bit roomier, but still not big enough to be used regularly, so we didn't think it made much difference.
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