Nissan Pathfinder vs. Honda Pilot: Everything You Need To Know
Honda Pilot by Kevauto — CC-BY-SA-4.0
Consumers love midsize three-row SUVs for their choice in family haulers. In this segment, two of the most popular models that will likely end up on your shortlist are the Nissan Pathfinder and Honda Pilot.
Nissan Pathfinder vs. Honda Pilot, which midsize crossover SUV is better?
Both SUVs are V6 powerhouses, offer to seat up to eight, and have similar curb appeal. For this Nissan Pathfinder vs. Honda Pilot comparison, we’re highlighting the new 2022 version from both vehicles.
Exterior Features
The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder boasts Nissan’s new and classic design cues. The standard C-shaped LED, and V-motion grille provides a rugged look upfront. Plus, the new Pathfinder retained the high vertical face with short overhangs from previous years. The floating roof and slim taillights help the Pathfinder look more modern, exaggerated with its various two-tone color options.
You’ll find horizontal taillights in the back with the “Pathfinder” script emblazoned on the liftgate. Rocker panels with optional chrome inserts can further broadcast the Pathfinder branding. All Pathfinder models get LED headlights and taillights, while SL and Platinum editions get standard LED fog lights.
In typical Honda fashion, the 2022 Honda Pilot sports an ever-familiar exterior design. When you’re competing with the likes of the commanding Kia Telluride, this restrained styling is ripe for a redesign. Judging by exterior alone, the 2022 Pilot gets a lukewarm response from us, and no thanks to its overall wagon-like profile. Overall, the Pilot channels a wagon minivan with four hinged doors rather than a heavy-duty SUV. The Honda Pilot Black Edition adds a little bit of personality with black trim accents, red ambient LED, and 20-inch black alloy wheels. Standard across all models have LED foglights and LED headlights.
WINNER: Both SUVs have a reasonably safe design and nothing too bold. However, we’ll take Pathfinder’s fresher design over the Pilot’s stale aesthetic.
GET THE SAME INSIDER INFO THAT DEALERSHIPS USE
The CoPilot app is the smartest way to buy a car. Built using the same technology that dealerships use, we’ll show you everything you want to know about each listing - like how long it’s been on the lot, or if there are similar vehicles at a better price nearby.
Performance and Fuel Economy
The Pilot is powered by a naturally-aspirated 3.5L V6 gas engine that produces 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The power is passed through a nine-speed automatic transmission to either the front or all four wheels. While the engine isn’t going to help you win stoplight drag races, it offers smooth acceleration and flies at 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds.
The Honda Pilot feels stable, offers a comfortable ride, and is a well-rounded performer out on the open road. It’s competent enough for off-road duties, but only if you have the AWD drivetrain. Towing capacity is underwhelming with only 3,500 max towing capacity with FWD and 5,000 lbs for all-wheel using the optional towing accessories.
The Pathfinder houses the same 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 284 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. While the engine was carried over from the previous year, the old CVT transmission was ditched in place of a new nine-speed automatic transmission. The new transmission feels quick and highly responsive with confident acceleration.
The Pathfinder is more than capable for off-road travel, thanks to its “Intelligent 4WD,” as Nissan calls it. The Pathfinder handles muddy roads and other challenging terrains like a champ with its seven drive and terrain modes. Towing duty also takes center stage in Pathfinder with Tow Mode and Trailer Sway features. The SUV can handle up to 6,000 lbs of max towing capacity when fully equipped.
The Pathfinder has EPA ratings of 21/26/23 mpg city/highway/combined for FWD and 21/27/23 mpg for AWD. Meanwhile, the Pilot offers 20/27/23 mpg ratings with FWD models and 19/26/22 mpg for AWD.
WINNER: For performance, the Pathfinder has a slight advantage over the Pilot, especially when you take towing and off-road capabilities into account. Fuel economy is neck-in-neck.
THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET
When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.
Interior and Cargo Space
Interior-wise, the Pathfinder’s cabin benefits from a massive upgrade. The 2022 Pathfinder cabin feels more practical and upscale, thanks to logical control layouts, gloss back trims, and a dash of metallic accents and contrast stitching. Furthermore, the shifter and other controls are intuitive to use.
The Pathfinder is an eight-seater SUV unless you opt for the comfier second-row captain chairs that reduce total seating to seven. Front occupants have best-in-class legroom at 44.3 inches and headroom at 42.3 inches - beating competitors like the Palisade and Telluride. However, second and third-row passengers don’t have such generous seating capacity.
By default, the Pathfinder offers 16.6 cu-ft of cargo behind the third-row. Folding the third row opens up 45 cubes, and folding both second and third-row seats gives 80.5 cubes of space. Nissan included 16 cupholders, miscellaneous storage spaces, door pockets, and a storage console underneath the gear shifter to add more storage versatility.
On the other hand, the 2022 Pilot features a logical but hardly surprising cabin. We know Honda’s family-friendly ergonomics are at play here, but the cabin needs an update like its exterior. Nevertheless, the cabin and controls are convenient, well-utilized spaces. Again, Honda puts out an intuitive and quality but a rather drab cabin.
Honda is all about maximizing interior space, and it shows with the Pilot. Most Pilot models offer a three-across second-row setup that could seat eight people. This setup is ditched in favor of two second-row captain chairs for pricier models, making it a seven-seater. Like most midsize SUVs, the lion’s share of the space goes to the first and second rows, leaving the third row for kids and teens.
Behind the Pilot’s third-row, you have access to 16.5 cu-ft of space or 16 cubes for seven-seater configurations. Folding the third row gives 46.8 cu-ft of cargo and 83.8 cu-ft with both third and second rows folded. Perhaps the Pilot’s best party trick is the adjustable cargo floor with an underfloor storage compartment for more space.
WINNER: We leaned more towards the Pathfinder’s more upscale cabin. We feel that Honda made use of its interior space better than Nissan for seating and cargo.
THE BEST USED SUVS UNDER $10,000
We looked into price, reliability, features, and more to create this list of the best used SUVs under $10k on the market today. Take a look - some of the best used SUVs have gone mostly overlooked or forgotten.
Infotainment and Safety Features
You’ll find a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen unit at the Pathfinder’s center or the available 9.0-inch unit. NissanConnect powers both systems, but only the larger 9.0-inch screen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12.3-inch widescreen digital gauge and heads-up display are available as add-ons.
The 2022 Pathfinder earns a 5-star rating from the NHTSA. This SUV is outfitted with several passive and advanced features to keep you and your family safe. Expect to see features like emergency braking, automatic rear braking, blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, etc.
Meanwhile, the Pilot comes with an 8.0-inch display, standard on all trims. There’s also an available rear entertainment system with a 10.2-inch display and a Blu-ray player in Touring and Elite Editions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported on all trims, while Wi-Fi hotspot is only available in Touring and Elite models.
The Pilot is also a recipient of NHTSA’s 5-star rating and good scores from the IIHS. Like most modern Honda vehicles, the Pilot is powered by the Honda Sensing driver assistance suite, including features like forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, auto high-beam, adaptive cruise control, and more.
WINNER: Non-standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto by the Pathfinder is a bummer. Thus, we pick the Pilot for both infotainment and safety.
Nissan Pathfinder vs. Honda Pilot: Which Midsize SUV is Better?
We wrap up this Nissan Pathfinder vs. Honda Pilot comparison with their starting prices. The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder starts at $33,410, while the 2022 Honda Pilot starts at $37,580.
With very similar performance in almost all categories, we have to pick the Pathfinder for its better value proposition.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
