For those who considered a Pilot, what made you choose a 4Runner instead?

[FloridaFeMan]

New to the forum. Joined mainly to do some research but would likely stay active if I purchase a 4Runner. I owned a 3rd Gen 4Runner in the past as well as a 2nd Gen Tacoma and currently own an FJ. I test drove both a Honda Pilot and a 4Runner. I actually thought the Pilot drove nicer. In all honesty though, I don't care for the looks of the Pilot. I'll be buying a 2WD as I already have 4WD with my FJ. How realistic is it for me to get 17/23 mpg with the 2WD 4Runner? What were some of the reasons you picked the 4Runner over the Pilot? Thanks in advance to those who respond.

 

[Fuzzylogic]

New to the forum. Joined mainly to do some research but would likely stay active if I purchase a 4Runner. I owned a 3rd Gen 4Runner in the past as well as a 2nd Gen Tacoma and currently own an FJ. I test drove both a Honda Pilot and a 4Runner. I actually thought the Pilot drove nicer. In all honesty though, I don't care for the looks of the Pilot. I'll be buying a 2WD as I already have 4WD with my FJ. How realistic is it for me to get 17/23 mpg with the 2WD 4Runner? What were some of the reasons you picked the 4Runner over the Pilot? Thanks in advance to those who respond.

My 4runner replaced a Nissan Titan. I wanted to downsize, change back to an SUV, but still have a truck platform to pull my flats boat and do some trailing. The primary thing is the boat and that I regularly use a dirt/sand ramp on the St. Johns river. So, a live axle rear end was my preference as well. I also considered a Pathfinder.

In the end, the T4R proved to meet my needs. I should also mention that I drive about 30k miles annually, 20k of it for business. So, there are a lot oh highway miles involved.

I regularly drive to and from Tampa. I check my mileage on every tank. On summer gas, I had no problem averaging 20 mpg or more per tank, which means I was certainly getting 22 or so on the highway. Mine is 4wd.

The Pilot is a great vehicle...very high quality. If it fits your needs, it is a worthy choice, especially if you don't need off road capability, which your fj will accommodate very well.

You're lucky...you get to keep your fj and get another SUV...enjoy!

 

[TreeFarmer]

The Pilot is a nice Mommy car, more so than the 4Runner. My wife likes the Pilot, I like my BFG's. My wife likes a clean car, I like a muddy one. My wife likes a smooth ride, I like to feel the terrain.

 

[50BMG]

we test drove both. The pilot was fine but lacked any appeal - it was basic...and a bit 'boxy'. We'd also read reviews that pointed to a higher interior level from road/wind noise.
Toyota won.
:thumb3:

 

[4-Ripcord]

If you already have the FJ, whats the need for another truck-based SUV? What about a 2010 highlander or something? Better milage and nicer ride comfort.

 

[Falls]

APPLES vs ORANGES

 

[1000MPH]

Guess this won't help ya but...I figured if I was going to pay the penalty of poor gas mileage from 4WD I might as well get real 4WD. The redesigned 4R vs. the redesigned Pilot sealed the deal. BTW, I used to be a Honda guy.

 

[steelhead]

Having owned the 2nd and currently still have a 3rd generation the decision was easy. I like the lines and more rugged looks of the 4Runner over the others in its' class. Other features/advantages I considered were 4.0 L with towing capacity and body on frame construction. The pilot is nice but they don't have much of a track record in making SUV's. My previous 4r also treated me well and the 96 SR5 is still super strong with no rebuilt and after a valve cover fix no leaks. The MPG is very close to 23mpg. With mixed driving I was able to get 22.1mpg on my first fillup. It does take close to $80 to fill up an empty tank though so it's no prius.

 

[swalker]

I came very close to getting the pilot. little better room in the 3rd row, when I showed my 14 year old daughter a pilot..she said "Dad thats a girl car" I love the rugged look of the 4runner, and the ability to go play offroad if I want to. I have a 2011 silver sr5 leather and 3rd row. I have put 12,500 miles on since oct 28, 2010. when I drive flat highway and stay under 60..I get about 21 mpg. I usually run 80 on interstate, and have been averaging about 16mpg per tank..speeds above 65 really hurt the mpg.

 

[philsey]

I'd like to reply, as I very nearly bought a Pilot.

But I'd like to know who's car this is going to be; hers or yours.

 

[M1911]

If you already have the FJ, whats the need for another truck-based SUV? What about a 2010 highlander or something? Better milage and nicer ride comfort.

Exactly.

 

[chetJ]

For us, we decided in favor of the T4R because I had read several reviews that said that the Pilot's engine was underpowered for the weight of the vehicle. Also, it looked too boxy.

 

[DocMT]

I like the boxy styling of the Pilot. It manages to be boxy, but still a clean design. But it's more of a car than a truck, so I'd hesitate to compare it directly with a 4Runner. That said, if you're buying 2wd, the Pilot might be a better choice, since it will have a nicer "car like" ride.

 

[DaveS]

If you plan on using it to pick up stuff from Home Depot, the Pilot has more useable cargo capacity and yes it drives more like a car because in practice it is a car with a bigger body shell. If you are going to tow anything sizeable the 4Runner is your best choice by far - lots of comments on the internet about the Pilot hunting around gears constantly while towing.

 

[adoihcj]

We "looked" at a Pilot, however my wife was totally against it. She didn't like the look at all and fell in love with the 4R the minute she saw it on the lot.

I agree with what someone else here said - go with a Highlander. The stying is much nicer than the Pilot and the Highlander is fun to drive and very comfortable.

 

[DocMT]

We "looked" at a Pilot, however my wife was totally against it. She didn't like the look at all and fell in love with the 4R the minute she saw it on the lot.

I agree with what someone else here said - go with a Highlander. The stying is much nicer than the Pilot and the Highlander is fun to drive and very comfortable.

I actually liked the Highlander styling until this year when they changed the headlights and taillights. Now it looks like a Venza with a lift.

 

[scanny]

When I was looking for new vehicle I was seriously considering Pilot as well. But when I test drove 4Runner, I understood that I want only 4Runner. Can't tell exatcly why, I guess sort of fell in love with 4R. Of course there was logical things too, such as 4Runner has slightly better reliabiliyt record, a bit lower fuel consumption, sliding rear glass, better clearance but other than that Pilot would win for a little bit more space with hidden area in trunk, more storage compartments and usable 3rd row seats. But I was shoping for 4x4 or AWD vehicle. If I was looking for 2WD vehicle I wouldn't buy an SUV at all, although Pilot looks to me as a better idea for 2WD than 4Runner becasue Pilot would be FWD and 4Runner would be RWD. To me FWD is more manageable unless you enjoy to handle RWD.

 

[Maji]

I used to own a 2003 Pilot that I traded in to get the 2011 T4R. I almost got the 2011 Pilot, but the dealers around here did not have 4WD version of the LX trim down here. Interior wise, the Pilot appears to have more space and is a little more user friendly, IMO. It is after all a car in SUV's clothes. The T4R is more rugged, and I like the looks over the current Pilot's slightly butch look.

Overall, if you want a 2WD, then go for the Pilot because you are not really looking for a truck/SUV, but a minivan with higher ground clearance. It is more comfortable, and you will be surprised how much more easy access to stored stuff you have near your hand while you are driving a Pilot. If you get a base LX-2WD Pilot, you will also be saving a couple of thousand dollars over the base SR5-2WD T4R. If you go to Edmunds, you will see that the cost of owning a Pilot over a 5 year period will be slightly lower than a T4R.

Either way, both are great vehicles and you can't go wrong with any one of them.

Good luck.

 

[gcunning1968]

I just bought a 201 4runner with 19000 miles on her. I came out of a 07 GMC Sierra, I am in sales and drive 40 to 50K miles a year and my company decided that a truck did not fulfill the image they were looking for. I have logged about 1200 miles on the 4runner 2wd and I must say the mileage has been impressive I set the cruise at 70 and drive 70% hwy 30% city and my overall mileage (hand calculated) has been 21.5 mpg. The ride is comperable to my truck, maybe just a little rougher on bad roads, but it is a quieter ride. The only real complaint I have is the seats are a little stiff, but my plans are to upgrade to leather and the shop I am going to use adds memory foam to the seats when they add the leather. Without a doubt I would buy the 4runner again

 

[galacticrunner1]

I personally think the pilot is very ugly. The previous body style was very nice looking in my opinion. But this new one too me lacks all masculinity.