Compare the2022 Toyota SequoiaVS 2022 Honda Pilot

The Toyota Sequoia has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Pilot doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Sequoia’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Pilot doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sequoia and the Pilot have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available four-wheel drive.

The Toyota Sequoia weighs 1409 to 1944 pounds more than the Honda Pilot. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sequoia for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Pilot.

There are over 16 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sequoia’s warranty.

The Pilot’s redline is at 6900 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Sequoia has a 5900 RPM redline.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Sequoia has a standard 180-amp alternator. The Pilot’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sequoia’s reliability 27 points higher than the Pilot.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sequoia third among large suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Pilot isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

The Sequoia’s 5.7 DOHC V8 produces 101 more horsepower (381 vs. 280) and 139 lbs.-ft. more torque (401 vs. 262) than the Pilot’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Sequoia is faster than the Honda Pilot:

The Sequoia has 6.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pilot (26.4 vs. 19.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Sequoia higher (5 out of 10) than the Honda Pilot (3). This means the Sequoia produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pilot every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Sequoia’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Pilot:

The Sequoia’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Pilot are solid, not vented.

The Sequoia stops shorter than the Pilot:

For better traction, the Sequoia has larger tires than the Pilot (275/65R18 vs. 245/60R18).

The Sequoia has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Pilot; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Sequoia has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Sequoia offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Pilot doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sequoia’s wheelbase is 11 inches longer than on the Pilot (122 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sequoia is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than on the Pilot.

The Sequoia TRD Sport 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Pilot Elite 4WD (27.3 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sequoia’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Pilot’s (38.1 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Sequoia has a 2.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pilot (10 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Sequoia to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Sequoia 4x4 is quieter than the Pilot Elite 4WD (71 vs. 78 dB).

The Sequoia has 1.6 inches more front legroom, 3.4 inches more front hip room, 4.4 inches more front shoulder room, 2.5 inches more rear legroom, 2.6 inches more rear hip room, 3.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.4 inches more third row legroom, 5.8 inches more third row hip room and 8.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Pilot.

The Sequoia’s cargo area provides more volume than the Pilot.

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers or raises the Sequoia’s optional third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Pilot doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Sequoia’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Pilot’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Sequoia’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pilot’s (7100 vs. 3500 pounds).

The Sequoia uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pilot uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the Sequoia is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pilot. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The Sequoia’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Pilot does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Sequoia’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Pilot’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Sequoia has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Pilot doesn’t offer headlight washers.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sequoia is less expensive to operate than the Pilot because typical repairs cost much less on the Sequoia than the Pilot, including $79 less for a water pump, $313 less for a muffler and $476 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Sequoia and the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance.