Compare the2025 Honda PilotVS 2025 Infiniti QX80

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 QX80’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Pilot’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX80 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

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 QX80 uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Pilot and the QX80 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, 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.

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 QX80 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

There are over 5 times as many Honda dealers as there are Infiniti 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 Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti With 13 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Infiniti.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 8 places higher in reliability than Infiniti.

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the QX80:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The QX80 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 QX80 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Pilot has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the QX80. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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 QX80.

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 QX80; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Pilot TrailSport handles at .85 G’s, while the QX80 Autograph AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the QX80’s (37.7 feet vs. 40 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the QX80’s (37.8 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1400 to 1650 pounds less than the Infiniti QX80.

The Pilot is 11.3 inches shorter than the QX80, making the Pilot easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 QX80 doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

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 QX80 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Pilot TrailSport is quieter than the QX80 Autograph AWD (76 vs. 77 dB).

The Pilot has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 3.1 inches more third row headroom than the QX80.

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the QX80.

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

The Honda Pilot outsold the Infiniti QX80 by almost 9 to one during 2023.