Schomp Honda

Safety

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 Pathfinder's side airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.

 

The Honda Pilot has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Pathfinder doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

 

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

 

Both the Pilot and the Pathfinder have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Pathfinder:

	Pilot	Pathfinder
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Head Injury Index	271	637
Chest forces	42 g's	49 g's
Leg injuries (L/R)	402 / 629	1684 / 605
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Head Injury Index	374	660
Chest forces	44 g's	50 g's
Leg injuries (L/R)	599 / 659	919 / 604

More stars indicate a better overall result. Lower numbers indicate better individual test results.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with 'good' or 'acceptable' geometry. In these ratings, the Pilot with leather seats is safer then the Pathfinder:

	Pilot	Pathfinder
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	52 mm	55 mm
Distance Below Top of Head	38 mm	50 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Seat Design	Pass	Pass
Torso Acceleration	13.3 g's	16 g's
Neck Force Rating	Low	High
Max Neck Shearing Force	1	294
Max Neck Tension	433	1460

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

Reliability

 

The engine in the Pilot has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engines in the Pathfinder have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

 

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Pilot's reliability will be 28% better than the Pathfinder.

 

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Pilot second among midsize crossover/suvs in their 2010 Initial Quality Study. The Pathfinder isn't in the top three in its category.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 12th, below the industry average.

 

J.D. Power and Associates' surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 25th.

 

Fuel Economy and Range

 

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better fuel mileage than the Pathfinder:

		Pilot	Pathfinder
2WD	3.5 V6/Auto	17 city/23 hwy	15 city/22 hwy	V6/Auto
4WD	3.5 V6/Auto	16 city/22 hwy	14 city/20 hwy	V6/Auto

 

An engine control system that can shut down half 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 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

For better stopping power the Pilot's brake rotors are larger than those on the Pathfinder:

	Pilot	Pathfinder
Front Rotors	13 inches	11.65 inches
Rear Rotors	13.1 inches	12.12 inches

 

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don't press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Pilot has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Pathfinder doesn't offer a brake assist feature.

 

The Pilot stops shorter than the Pathfinder:

	Pilot	Pathfinder
70 to 0 MPH	198 feet	203 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	154 feet	172 feet	Consumer Reports

 

Tires and Wheels

 

The Pilot's tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pathfinder S' standard 75 series tires.

 

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Pilot has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Pathfinder S.

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The Pilot has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pathfinder's suspension doesn't offer gas-charged shocks.

 

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 5.9 inches wider in the front and 5.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Pathfinder.

 

The Pilot EX-L 4WD handles at .78 G's, while the Pathfinder SV 4x4 pulls only .68 G's of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

 

For better maneuverability, the Pilot's turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Pathfinder's (38.6 feet vs. 39.2 feet). The Pilot's turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Pathfinder 4x4's (38.6 feet vs. 39.5 feet).

 

Chassis

 

Unibody construction makes the Pilot's chassis much stiffer, which contributes to better handling, and enables softer springs to be used for a better ride. Unibody construction's stiffness also contributes to better durability and less body squeaks and rattles. The Pathfinder doesn't use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

 

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Pilot has an electronically controlled liquid-filled engine mounts. A computer controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The Pathfinder uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

 

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.

 

Passenger Space

 

The Pilot has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Pathfinder can only carry 7.

 

The Pilot has 4.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Pathfinder (153.7 vs. 149.1).

 

The Pilot has 3.1 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 4.3 inches more rear legroom, 3.8 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.5 inches more third row headroom, 4 inches more third row legroom, 4.4 inches more third row hip room and 1.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Pathfinder.

 

Cargo Capacity

 

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

	Pilot	Pathfinder
Behind Third Seat	18 cubic feet	16.5 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	87 cubic feet	79.2 cubic feet

 

The Pilot's cargo area is larger than the Pathfinder's in almost every dimension:

	Pilot	Pathfinder
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	19''/47.3''/80.4''	17.4''/45.5''/73.9''
Min Width	48''	44.4''
Height	35.7''	34.8''

 

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults or children, the Pilot Touring has a standard power rear liftgate, which opens and closes completely automatically by pressing a button on the key fob. The Pathfinder doesn't offer a power liftgate.

 

Servicing Ease

 

The Pilot has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery's water level. The Pathfinder doesn't have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery's cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

 

A Maintenance Minder is standard on the Pilot to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, spark plug replacement, air filter replacement, tire rotation, radiator flush and transmission fluid replacement based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Nissan doesn't offer a maintenance reminder on the Pathfinder.

 

Ergonomics

 

The Pilot has standard lighted power door lock, power window, power mirror and cruise control switches so that they are easily found at night. The Pathfinder S doesn't have lighted switches.

 

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

 

Consumer Reports rated the Pilot's headlight performance 'Good,' a higher rating than the Pathfinder's headlights, which were rated 'Fair.'

 

The Pilot has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The automatic headlight on/off feature is not available on the Pathfinder S.

 

The Pilot's standard power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Pathfinder's power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

 

The Pilot (except LX) offers an optional 115 volt a/c outlet in the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters which can break or get misplaced. The Pathfinder doesn't offer a house-current electrical outlet.

 

Economic Advantages

 

Insurance will cost less for the Pilot owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Pilot with a number '8' insurance rate while the Pathfinder is rated higher at a number '10' rate.

 

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 43.47% to 49.72% of its original price after five years, while the Pathfinder only retains 32.79% to 41.53%.

 

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pilot is less expensive to operate than the Pathfinder because it costs $78 less to do the manufacturer's suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Pilot than the Pathfinder, including $10 less for front brake pads, $89 less for fuel injection, $49 less for a fuel pump and $243 less for a timing belt/chain.

 

Recommendations

 

Consumer Reports recommends both the Honda Pilot and the Nissan Pathfinder, based on reliability, safety and performance.

 

The Pilot was chosen as one of Car and Driver's 'Top Five Trucks' for 5 of the last 8 years. The Pathfinder has never been a Car and Driver 'Top Five Truck' pick.

 

The Honda Pilot outsold the Nissan Pathfinder by almost five to one during the 2010 model year.

* [1]  Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.