2025 Toyota Sienna vs 2025 Honda Pilot

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trims, including the Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The Sport trim was budget-friendly but lacked many desirable features, making the EX-L a recommended upgrade for its leather interior. Prices ranged from $40,200 to $54,580, plus a $1,395 destination charge. The Black Edition, based on the Pilot Elite, featured black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges. Inside, it had black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and red ambient lighting. The Black Edition's unique styling was more suited for suburban environments, despite Honda's rugged design intentions. The interior was thoughtfully designed with quality materials, though the digital displays seemed outdated, lacking a significant "wow factor."

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, with its box-on-wheels design, aimed to maximize interior space. Despite attempts to add style, such as a trapezoidal grille and upswept body lines, it still resembled a traditional minivan. The Platinum trim introduced new flower-petal wheel designs. Our test vehicle, in Magnetic Gray, was the top-of-the-line Platinum model, priced at $58,634 with additional features. The Sienna's interior received updates, including a new woodgrain finish, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. The Sienna offered practicality with seating for up to eight and easy loading and unloading, thanks to sliding side doors and second-row seats. However, its maximum cargo capacity was less than rivals due to the non-removable second-row seats.

The 2025 Honda Pilot featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, producing 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This setup allowed most Pilot models to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Pilot offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. Models equipped with Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management (i-VTM4) AWD system had hill descent control and up to 7.3 inches of ground clearance (8.3 inches for the TrailSport). The AWD system's torque vectoring allowed up to 70 percent of engine output to flow to a single rear wheel (75 percent in the TrailSport). While the V6 provided good acceleration, the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was unimpressive, with an average of 20 mpg on the evaluation loop, falling short of the EPA rating of 21 mpg combined. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, though an adaptive-damping suspension system would have improved ride quality.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The net horsepower was 245, allowing the Sienna to tow up to 3,500 pounds. The hybrid system provided immediate torque, preventing the minivan from feeling sluggish. The Sienna's official EPA rating was 36 mpg combined, but it averaged 26.3 mpg on the evaluation loop. The Sienna's handling was predictable, though not particularly engaging. The steering lacked precision, and the brakes experienced fade during a mountain descent. The Sienna XSE offered a sport-tuned suspension for a slightly more engaging drive. The standard suspension provided a smooth, absorbent ride with excellent impact isolation, making it a comfortable choice for highway cruising.

The 2025 Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and thoughtful storage solutions. However, the front passenger seat's limited four-way adjustment was a drawback for long trips. The second-row seats were roomy, with a removable center section for captain's chairs. The third row was suitable for adults for short periods. The Pilot featured a triple-zone automatic climate control system, heated outboard second-row seats, and a panoramic sunroof. Cargo space was generous, with 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row, expandable to 86.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna offered practical seating and cargo solutions. The front seats were power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated, though the cushions felt hard after extended driving. The second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular with teenagers. The third-row seat accommodated adults, and the sliding side doors made loading and unloading easy. The Sienna provided 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 101 cubic feet with the third-row seats stowed. However, the non-removable second-row seats limited maximum cargo capacity compared to rivals.

The 2025 Honda Pilot's technology appeared dated, with smaller display screens compared to rivals. The Black Edition featured a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging. However, the wireless CarPlay function was problematic, and the voice recognition system was inconsistent. The 12-speaker Bose audio system was adequate but not exceptional. The Pilot's CabinTalk feature allowed the driver to communicate with passengers over the stereo speakers, and a small four-inch head-up display was included.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna's higher-spec models featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display for the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) infotainment system. The Platinum model included a four-zone automatic climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display, and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered various connected services plans, with a digital assistant that responded accurately to commands. The 12-speaker JBL premium audio system produced excessive bass, but the four-zone climate control system was appreciated. The digital rearview camera and see-through surround-view camera were helpful features.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came equipped with a comprehensive suite of Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition also had parking sensors and a multi-view camera system with TrailWatch technology. However, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems had some issues, and the road sign recognition system was occasionally inaccurate. The Pilot earned high marks in crash tests, with a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0, which included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna also had automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The TSS 2.0 system performed well, though the adaptive cruise control required human intervention during sudden traffic braking events. The Sienna added new rear-seat reminder technology for 2025. The NHTSA gave the Sienna a five-star overall rating, but it scored lower in frontal crash tests, with a three-star rating for driver protection.