How does the new Honda Pilot stack up against the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander?

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The Honda Pilot has become a byword for the affordable midsize SUV

The Honda Pilot is a popular midsize SUV for shoppers in need of a versatile family-oriented hauler. For years, buyers have enjoyed its three rows of seating, loads of storage, and clever features. Now there’s a new generation that debuted for 2023. It has fresh styling, more interior room and a new TrailSport version with enhanced off-roading capabilities.

But savvy shoppers will know the Pilot isn’t the only pick in the class. Notably, Honda’s longtime rival, Toyota, is looking to usurp the Pilot’s standing with its all-new Grand Highlander. As its name implies, the Toyota Grand Highlander is bigger and more spacious than the regular Highlander. It also gets a handful of upgrades that make it a compelling rival to the Pilot. Which three-row SUV is best? Edmunds’ experts compare the two to find out which comes out on top.

Every Honda Pilot comes with a V6 engine that makes 285 horsepower. Depending on its configuration, the Pilot gets an EPA fuel economy estimate of 20-22 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Both power and fuel economy are fairly typical for a midsize three-row SUV.

Most Grand Highlander buyers will end up with the vehicle’s 265-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It gets slightly better EPA estimates than the Pilot: 22-24 mpg combined. Toyota then goes even further by offering two available hybrid powertrains in the Grand Highlander. The first is the regular Grand Highlander Hybrid. It’s a little underpowered — 245 horsepower — but comes up big with an EPA estimate of up to 36 mpg combined. There’s also a Hybrid Max version that ramps up to 362 horsepower and still gets 27 mpg.

While the Pilot’s V6 meets expectations, we