Compare the2022 Honda PilotVS 2022 Lexus GX

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The GX’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Pilot uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The GX uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Pilot and the GX 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, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

There are over 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

The engine in the Pilot has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the GX has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

As tested in Car and Driver the Honda Pilot is faster than the Lexus GX:

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the GX:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The GX doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Pilot’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The GX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Pilot uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GX requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Pilot has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the GX.

The Pilot stops shorter than the GX:

The Pilot SE/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GX’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Pilot SE/Touring/Elite/Black Edition has standard 20-inch wheels. The GX’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Pilot has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For superior ride and handling, the Honda Pilot has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus GX has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Pilot (except LX)’s optional drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The GX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pilot’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the GX (111 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 3.9 inches wider in the front and 3.9 inches wider in the rear than on the GX.

The Pilot Elite 4WD handles at .80 G’s, while the GX pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Pilot Elite 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the GX (27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Pilot’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the GX’s (39.4 feet vs. 41.1 feet).

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1100 pounds less than the Lexus GX.

Unibody construction lowers the Pilot’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The GX uses body-on-frame design instead.

The Pilot uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Pilot Elite 4WD is quieter than the GX (37 vs. 43 dB).

The Pilot has standard seating for 8 passengers; the GX can only carry 7.

The Pilot has 22 cubic feet more passenger volume than the GX (151.7 vs. 129.7).

The Pilot has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 6.6 inches more front shoulder room, 4.3 inches more rear legroom, 2.1 inches more rear hip room, 4.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.7 inches more third row headroom, 2.6 inches more third row legroom, 1.5 inches more third row hip room and 3.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the GX.

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

The Pilot’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The GX’s swing out door blocks loading from the passenger’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Pilot has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Pilot SE/Touring/Elite/Black Edition, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The GX doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

The Pilot’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The GX’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Pilot’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The GX’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Pilot SE/Elite//Black Edition has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The GX doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Pilot is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pilot is less expensive to operate than the GX because it costs $300 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Pilot than the GX, including $110 less for a muffler, $288 less for a starter, $149 less for fuel injection, $831 less for a timing belt/chain and $499 less for a power steering pump.

The Honda Pilot has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

The Honda Pilot outsold the Lexus GX by over four to one during the 2021 model year.