If you are comparing the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, depreciation is one of those boring numbers that suddenly matters a lot. Both SUVs sit in the same family-hauler lane with three rows, unibody construction, and prices that put them close enough to make the choice feel personal.
The big question is simple: which one keeps more of your money when the years pile up? In this matchup, the Highlander comes out ahead, and not by a tiny whisper. That difference can shape the way buyers look at the sticker price, because what you pay today is only part of the story.
According to CarsEdge, the Highlander holds its value better than the Pilot over time. After five years, the Pilot keeps 52.37% of its original value, while the Highlander stays at 59.67%.
That means a five-year-old Pilot, based on its original $42,395 price, could land around $22,202 at trade-in or resale. The Highlander, starting from $46,765, could still bring about $27,904. Stretch that out to 10 years, and the gap remains: the Pilot is at 32.19% of its original value, while the Highlander sits at 39.49%.
The funny part is that the Highlander is also the pricier SUV to begin with. So yes, buyers spend more up front, but the payoff comes later if resale value matters to them. That is the kind of math that can make a higher sticker price feel a little less painful.
Performance is not where either of these SUVs tries to win hearts. The Honda Pilot uses a 3.5-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and standard front-wheel drive, and it gets to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds.
The Toyota Highlander takes a different route with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and available all-wheel drive. It is tuned for easy driving and calm commutes, though its 0-60 mph run of 7.2 seconds shows that it is no rocket ship either.
When it comes to towing, both SUVs are evenly matched at 5,000 pounds. That keeps them in the same conversation for weekend trailers, small boats, and the usual family-duty jobs that come with midsize SUVs.
Fuel economy is another tight race, but the Highlander has a slight edge. The Pilot is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, while the Highlander returns 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.
That difference is not huge, and most drivers probably will not feel it day to day. Still, when you stack fuel savings on top of stronger depreciation numbers, the Highlander starts to look pretty appealing to buyers who think long term.
Inside, the Pilot gets points for space. Its cabin is roomy, and the third row can actually work for adults, which is a real selling point for families who do not want a penalty box back there.
The Highlander takes a different approach, and that third row is the weak spot. It is cramped enough that many owners will end up folding it down to free up cargo room, which is fine if you value storage more than extra seats.
That leaves the choice where a lot of SUV decisions end up anyway, on personal priorities. If you want the better value retention and slightly better efficiency, the Highlander has the edge, but if you want a roomier third row and a lower starting price, the Pilot keeps making a strong case for itself.
Neither one is built to stir the soul, but both do the job with enough polish to keep families happy. The real split is whether you care more about what the SUV feels like on day one or what it is still worth years later.
