Honda Pilot vs Toyota Highlander
Two three-row SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Honda Pilot if its specific features or size suit your needs better.
Buy the Toyota Highlander — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Honda Pilot | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual repairs | $542 | $489winner |
| 5-year repair cost | $2,710 | $2,445winner |
| Scheduled service (to 150k mi) | $8,519winner | $11,956 |
| Reliability score | 7 / 10 | 8 / 10winner |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 13% | 13% |
| Cargo space | 111.8 cu ft | — |
| Starting price (new) | $45,400winner | $46,500 |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Honda Pilot | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 7 / 10 | 8 / 10winner |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 307 | 137.1winner |
| Strongest years | 2013, 2014, 2015 | 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Weakest years | 2010, 2011, 2012 | 2013, 2016, 2019 |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 74.5% | 83.6%winner |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 55.9% | 63.7%winner |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 46% | 51.5%winner |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Honda Pilot | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 37.5% | 27.1%winner |
| Electrical | 14.6% | 8.2%winner |
| ADAS | 11.7% | 7.7%winner |
| Brakes | 3.8%winner | 8.6% |
| Steering | 1.7%winner | 5.6% |
| Fuel system | 7.6% | 5.4%winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 1.5%winner | 3.2% |
| Glass/Windows | 2.4%winner | 5.4% |
| Airbags | 3.5%winner | 5.6% |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| Honda Pilot | Toyota Highlander | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $2,147winner | $2,401 |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Pilot costs $542/year to maintain — $31 below the three-row segment average of $573. Repair frequency of 51% is well above the class average of 40% — the highest in the three-row segment. Reliability score of 7 and major repair probability of 13% both sit at the class average. Below-average cost but the most frequent unscheduled shop visits in the class.
How we calculated this. Repair costs, reliability scores, and maintenance schedules from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA and fuel prices from the EIA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →