Honda Pilot vs. Nissan Pathfinder vs. Toyota Grand Highlander: Which Midsize 3-Row SUV Is Best?

The multimedia system also has room for improvement. The large screen is nice, but some pages are still displayed in black and white.

Our top-trim Pathfinder Platinum tester has an as-tested price of nearly $56,000. That said, the Pathfinder has the lowest starting price of these SUVs, coming in under $40,000. For our money, the Pathfinder SV is the one to get; it has standard heated seats, a power liftgate, and all the driving aids you could want.

2nd place: Honda Pilot

• Rating: 6.4 out of 10
• The good: Tons of small-item storage
• The bad: Steering is too light and numb

The Honda Pilot is a dream when it comes to practicality, so even though it has the same overall rating as the Pathfinder, we think it deserves a second place here for its kid-friendly design. There are 12 cupholders inside the Pilot, and many of them can fit even the most giant of water bottles. The middle seat in the second row can be removed for the ultimate in flexibility, and there are USB-C ports all over the place, including in the third row. Add to that a cargo area with a little hidden cubby and a tow rating of 5,000 pounds, and the Honda gets a 7.2 for storage & cargo. That's better than the Pathfinder but not quite as good as the Grand Highlander.

As much as we like the all-wheel-drive system in the Pilot, the other driving characteristics leave a lot to be desired. The steering is ridiculously light, especially at slower speeds, and there doesn't feel like there is any connection to the road at all. The brakes have a good linear feeling, but when you get into a panic stop, expect a nosedive and plenty of chatter from the antilock braking system. Oh, and the forward collision warning is very sensitive. Expect the warning light on the dash to flash even when you're in no danger of hitting anything. Finally, the V6 engine is strong, but the 10-speed automatic transmission feels fussy around town, continually shifting in an effort to eke out maximum fuel economy. In all, we gave the Pilot a 6.5 for driving experience, the lowest rating of the three.

We used a Honda Pilot Elite for this test, which lives at the top of the model lineup with an as-tested price near $55,000. That's a lot for an SUV that skews more toward utility than anything else, and with a value score of 5.7 out of 10, it again earns the lowest score of the three vehicles tested here. If you have your heart set on a Pilot, we recommend the EX-L trim. It sits lower in the lineup, but you still get leather seats and the cool flexible second row. 

1st place: Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

• Rating: 7.8 out of 10
• The good: Best third-row seat of the bunch
• The bad: Not very fun to drive

The Grand Highlander checks pretty much every box for a three-row SUV. The last row is mounted a bit higher off the floor, so it's the roomiest of the three with good knee room, and has reclining seatbacks to boot. Overall we gave the Toyota a 7.8 out of 10 for comfort. However, it also excelled with an 8.1 score in storage & cargo thanks to its cavernous area behind the third row, expanding to over 97 cubic feet of space when all seats are folded down. The Honda and Nissan just can’t compete.

We gave the Grand Highlander an 8.3 for driving experience, but that's mostly because of the turbocharged hybrid engine in our tester. It was the quickest to accelerate to 60 mph while returning an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined. The Nissan and Honda don't offer optional hybrid power. So, while we say the Grand Highlander isn't that fun to drive, it's really nitpicking what is overall a very good driving character.

The Grand Highlander got the highest score for value, at 7.7 out of 10. While it's true that the least expensive way to get the Hybrid Max engine is to splurge on a higher trim, we think this powertrain is worth the extra money over the traditional V6 engines found in the top trims of the Pilot and Pathfinder. Our as-tested price here is just over $57,000, but you can get a gas-powered Grand Highlander for $43,690 or a non-turbo hybrid for around $47K. Still, the Hybrid Max is the engine we think will serve you best. 

At the end of the day, you really can't go wrong with any of these vehicles, it just depends on what's most important to you. If price is a deal-breaker, look at the Nissan Pathfinder. Got kids with messy little fingers? The Honda Pilot is kid-proof and easy to clean. But if you want the best fuel economy with a roomy interior and a quick and comfy ride, there is no beating the Toyota Grand Highlander.