2018 Toyota 4Runner vs Honda Pilot

If you’re in the market for an SUV, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is, ‘Cargo space or seating?’ It’s almost always one or another. Adding a third-row can give you two or three extra seats but it can also cut into rear cargo space. Having trouble deciding? In this comparison guide, we pit the two-row 2018 Toyota 4Runner against the three-row Honda Pilot. We’ll show you the advantages and disadvantages of adding third row, plus pick a winner in this contest.

Seating: 2018 Honda Pilot

Without a doubt, the Honda Pilot fits more people the the Toyota 4Runner. There are eight seats in the Honda compared to five in the Toyota. It helps that the Pilot is four inches longer than the 4Runner. But that doesn’t mean that there’s more space for each individual. For example, front-seat passengers have more legroom in the 4Runner but more headroom in the Pilot. And third-row passengers in the Pilot will have to make do with just 32 inches of legroom, more than half a foot less than all the other passengers. No one will fight over the back seat of the Pilot, that’s for sure. But there’s another trade-off for adding a third row. Read on.

Cargo Space: 2018 Toyota 4Runner

Despite its length, the Honda Pilot has far less cargo space. With all the seats up, it’s the Toyota’s 47.2 cubic feet versus the Honda’s 16.5 cubic feet. Even if we try to give Honda an edge by folding down its rear seat, the Toyota still has a little more. And if we put down all the foldable seats, the Toyota still wins with 89.7 cubic feet to the Pilot’s 83.9 cubic feet. If you need to stow lots of gear, the Toyota 4Runner will have more of what you need.

Off-Roading: 2018 Toyota 4Runner

The name is a clue, but the Toyota 4Runner is also a better off-roader than the Honda Pilot. The Toyota harkens back to a time when sport utility vehicles were only used for one thing: off-roading. If you wanted a family car, you went with a sedan or minivan. Times have changed, but one thing hasn’t. SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner have kept the SUV off-roading tradition alive. Every 4Runner has protective skid plates and at least 9 inches of ground clearance. You can add features that add to the off-roading experience, like locking rear differential, crawl control, and Multi-Terrain Select with four driving modes.

By comparison, the Honda Pilot has more in common with a minivan. It’s an admirable vehicle on-road but doesn’t do more than some light off-roading, and then only with all-wheel drive. The Pilot can tow and haul but doesn’t really leave the beaten path much.

The Toyota 4Runner’s pairs off-roading capability with abundant cargo space. The 4Runner is less of a family hauler, unlike the Honda Pilot, and more of a weekend warrior. If that’s your style, the 2018 Toyota 4Runner is ready for that trip to the beach, the hills, or the open wilderness.

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