Compare the2025 Honda PilotVS 2025 BMW X7

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

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 X7’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Pilot and the X7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

The Honda Pilot has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The X7 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Pilot 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 4 places higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the X7:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The X7 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 X7 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 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 X7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Pilot higher (7 out of 10) than the BMW X7 (4 to 6). This means the Pilot produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X7 every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X7.

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 X7 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

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 X7; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the X7 xDrive40i’s (37.7 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1150 to 1300 pounds less than the BMW X7.

The Pilot is 3.7 inches shorter than the X7, making the Pilot easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Pilot uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the X7 can only carry 7.

The Pilot has 1.2 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom, 3.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.7 inches more third row headroom and 11.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the X7.

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the X7.

The Pilot’s cargo area is larger than the X7’s in every dimension:

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 X7’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Pilot has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Pilot TrailSport/Elite/Black Edition has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Pilot is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Pilot owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pilot will cost $7350 to $13155 less than the X7 over a five-year period.

The Pilot will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Pilot will retain 55.18% to 56.17% of its original price after five years, while the X7 only retains 46.74% to 50.28%.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Pilot and the BMW X7, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2024 issue and they ranked the Honda Pilot Elite higher than the BMW X7 xDrive40i.

The Honda Pilot outsold the BMW X7 by almost four to one during 2023.