Compare the2023 Honda PilotVS 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

Both the Pilot and the Pathfinder have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Pilot for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Pathfinder.

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 Pilot’s reliability 45 points higher than the Pathfinder.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 10 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot 4WD gets better fuel mileage than the Pathfinder Rock Creek 3.5 DOHC V6 (19 city/25 hwy vs. 20 city/23 hwy).

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

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

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Honda Pilot as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Nissan Pathfinder is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the Pathfinder.

For better traction, the Pilot TrailSport’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Pathfinder (265/60R18 vs. 255/60R18).

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

For better maneuverability, the Pilot’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Pathfinder’s (37.8 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Pilot has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pathfinder (7.3 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the Pilot to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Pilot TrailSport’s minimum ground clearance is .6 inch higher than on the Pathfinder Rock Creek (8.3 vs. 7.7 inches).

The front grille of the Pilot uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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

The Pilot has 10.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Pathfinder (158.4 vs. 148).

The Pilot has .1 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 5.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room, 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.5 inches more third row headroom, 4.5 inches more third row legroom and 1.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Pathfinder.

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

The Pilot has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Pathfinder offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Honda Pilot outsold the Nissan Pathfinder by 72% during 2022.