I am trying to decide on a new small SUV and was wondering what everyone thought about these two vehicles?

I haven't test drove the 4Runner yet but I drove the pilot and really like how it drives. My fiance says the pilot is a grandma car so I am considering the 4Runner.

If you have either vehicle please tell me what you think?

Might try the Automotive Board...there are some pretty good people over there.

FWIW I put 200k miles on a 4Runner and never did anything but routine maintenance on it. The ride's a little stiff, but it's a very reliable vehicle.

LOL it definitely isn't a old persons car, she is mistaken.

Informal poll here http://www.piloteers.org/forums/39-polls/2661-what-age-group-you-3.html

Bottomline, buy what feels comfortable and what you like, you are spending a lot of money. Who cares what some one else thinks of what your driving.

I have driven both. The Honda does not have the towing capabilities that the Toyota has. So, if you want a towing vehicle, pick the Toyota. The Honda has a smoother ride and I think the third row seat is standard, where the Toyota feels more like a truck and the third roaw seat is extra.

Both are good vehicles. Both manufacturers have a good reliability record. It just comes down to what you like, need and can afford.

I have 113,000 miles on my 4Runner, and 15 years after I bought it, I'm still driving it. We've only had to do routine maintenance, tires, etc. and I wouldn't dream of getting rid of it. When it goes, I'll probably move up to a Sequoia, but that's because I'd like the extra seats in the back in case our 4 person family ever wants to drive someone else around, too.

My vote is definitely for Toyota - their trucks are built to last.

4runner

If you have kids: Pilot
If not: 4Runner

We've got 135K on our 10-year-old 4Runner and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Going to drive that sucker until it falls apart, which will be many, many years from now.

That said, I don't know if I'd call either the Pilot or the current 4Runner a "small" SUV. They've both ballooned considerably in the past few years.

Toyota all the way. When theres a choice between Toyota and some other car always chose the Toyota.

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My fiance says the pilot is a grandma car so I am considering the 4Runner.

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Um...he obviously hasn't seen what I drive Happy decision-making!

[This message has been edited by iloveAP (edited 2/8/2012 8:53p).]

I LOVE my Pilot. I have no kids, but I needed the cargo room for dog kennels. The third room seating comes in handy when we have friends in town and everyone wants to just take one car. i would buy another one in a heartbeat.

My mother has a newer pilot. I wouldn't consider it a grandma car. She owns her own business and hauls a trailer with it a lot and has never had a problem.

Owned a 2007 4runner since new. Has 90,000 on it now. Only issues have been 1 set of tires, 1 battery and the left front wheel bearing was noisy so it was replaced under warranty. Has gotten 26 mpg on the highway since day one and still does. It's nothing to get 200-300k out of these trucks with very little maintenance.

Go check out a GMC Terrain.

How important is a 3rd row to you?

I have a Honda Pilot and the 3rd row is easily accessible. My 6ft husband can sit back there comfortably. The 4Runner's 3rd row was miserable - I sat back there with my knees to my nose.

I don't think the Pilot is a grandma car at all.

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My fiance says the pilot is a grandma car so I am considering the 4Runner.

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Sometimes perceptions are so ingrained, they're insurmountable. Since your fiance already feels this way, I doubt any amount of persuasion will sway them. Therefore, buy the 4runner.

^ This guy is so great.

Thanks. Just trying to help.

I have had a Pilot now for almost 4 years and I absolutely love it. It gets great gas mileage and has a very smooth ride. As others have mentioned, I have not had any problems with it. (knock on wood). As a matter of fact, just last week, my husband tried to talk me into trading it in on a newer one. I told him no,,,that I was completely happy with the one I have. I love it!!

I have a 4Runner with 200,000+ miles on it too that my husband drives. No major repairs either. I have a Sequoia with 70,000 miles and no problems.

I will never buy anything but a Toyota.

[This message has been edited by Wendy 1990 (edited 2/8/2012 9:34p).]

My "grandma car" has been very reliable for 5 years and 100K miles. I wish the cargo area was slightly larger, but that's not a complaint at all. Not something I thought about when I bought it, but if you drop something (McDonald's fries, loose change, etc) between the front seat and center console, it's there for eternity! Be sure to check out crash ratings when comparing. Very important. www.safercar.gov/

I have had my 4 runner since 1999 and have 240,000 miles on it. Can't do better than a 4 runner

4Runner

how about trying an American Car Co.
The Chevy Eqinox has more room on the inside
and is about 5 grand less

So, OP. Did y'all decide yet on the maw-maw car (Honda) or the superior vehicle (Toyota) ?

Check out the 2012 redesigned Ford Escape, Edge or new Explorer.

Well since I originally posted this question the other day, we went to test drive both vehicles.

First we drove the 4Runner. I liked it a lot but the ride was a little bumpy. It is a very narrow SUV and I felt like I was really close to everything. My head almost touched the roof and I'm not a very tall person at all. It also seems to be a very popular vehicle these days......there was not one single new one on the lot. There were only 2 used ones to look at. This could be a good sign. It is definitely still in the running to consider buying.

Next, we drove over to Honda to drive the Pilot. My fiance actually ate his words a little b/c he was saying good things about the Pilot after he saw it in person. It was very roomy and a lot quieter than the 4Runner. It had more of a car feeling to it when you are in the drivers seat. The display on the dash is 100% better than the 4Runner's display.

By the way, I didn't mean the "grandma car" comment to sound rude but I'm 29 and he said it wasn't sporty enough. Oh well......he might just have to get used to it.......haha!

Well I guess we will think about which one we want for a little while and make our decision when the ones we want come in. Thanks for everyones advice!!!

Get the Pilot, but don't forget the Apple sticker in the rear window. Baller.

"How important is a 3rd row to you?

I have a Honda Pilot and the 3rd row is easily accessible. My 6ft husband can sit back there comfortably. The 4Runner's 3rd row was miserable - I sat back there with my knees to my nose."


Interesting considering the 4runner has 3 more inches of leg room at the rear seat than the pilot. The pilot does have 4 more inches of headroom on the third row.

Ex of mine had a 4 Runner...I think driving it around is the only thing I miss about that relationship

I'm 6'1" 185. The 3rd row of a Pilot is miserable. It is made for women and midgets....or storage.

The 4Runner now comes with a third row? Mine only has 2 rows.

I am on my 2nd Pilot. I had a 2009 and just bought a new 2012 last month. I was debating between a Highlander and a Pilot as I didn't consider a 4 Runner to be apples-to-apples, plus the Highlander and Pilot seemed closer in price to each other. The 2012 Pilot drives better than the '09...nice improvement. Don't get me wrong...I love Toyotas, too (I owned a Sequoia before the first Pilot).

One of the reasons I went for a 2nd Pilot was the ease of buying it. Allen Honda has got to be the most laid back dealership in town. Plus, the Pilot was a little cheaper and Honda was offering great incentives plus their re-sale values are high, like Toyotas.