Question 1

Which has lower long-term cost — Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander?

Accepted Answer

Based on national-average assumptions, the Toyota Highlander is about $859 cheaper to own over 5 years. The breakdown includes depreciation, insurance, fuel or energy, maintenance, financing, and registration. Your localized total may differ based on state fuel prices, insurance rates, and EV registration fees.

Question 2

Which is cheaper to insure — Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander?

Accepted Answer

Insurance varies by state, ZIP code, age, and credit tier. Enter a ZIP to see a localized estimate; both vehicles' national-average premiums are shown on the compare page.

Question 3

Which depreciates faster — Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander?

Accepted Answer

Depreciation over the first five years is itemized in the cost breakdown. Luxury and EV models typically lose more value in early years; segment leaders and Toyota/Honda hold value better.

Question 4

Is the Honda Pilot better than the Toyota Highlander?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how you drive. The compare page scores both vehicles across five pillars — cost of ownership, powertrain, driver assistance, livability, and safety — combined into one MotiveGrid Score, alongside a 5-year cost breakdown and a clear verdict. Pick the one whose strengths match how you actually use a car.

Question 5

Why do these two vehicles get different ADAS (driver-assist) scores?

Accepted Answer

Our ADAS scale weighs sensor stack (radar + camera vs camera-only), hands-free operating domain (highway vs any divided road), driver-monitoring quality (eye-tracking vs torque sensor), and whether the system gets OTA improvements. Two vehicles can advertise the same feature names and still score 20+ points apart once operating envelope and update cadence are accounted for.

Metric	Honda Pilot	Toyota Highlander
MotiveGrid Score	70	78
Cost of Ownership	71	73
Powertrain	60	70
Driver Assistance	43	43
Livability	53	46
Safety	75	93
5-Year Cost to Own	$58,449	$57,590
Depreciation (5-yr)	$20,816	$19,174
Fuel / Energy (5-yr)	$15,304	$14,034
Insurance (5-yr)	$10,865	$12,325
Maintenance (5-yr)	$1,790	$1,790
Tires (5-yr)	$2,150	$2,150
Financing (5-yr)	$6,379	$6,901
Registration (5-yr)	$1,145	$1,215
Starting Price	$42,395	$45,870
Horsepower	285 hp	265 hp
MPG (combined)	22 mpg	24 mpg
Cargo volume	18.6 cu ft	16 cu ft
Seating	8	7
Towing capacity	—	5,000 lbs
Drivetrain	FWD	AWD

Honda Pilot vs. Toyota Highlander

Five measured pillars, weighted into one score.

Which vehicle is right for you

Cost of Ownership

Frequently asked questions

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