Which Car is Best? 2021 Honda CR-V vs. Pilot

Honda offers an embarrassment of riches when it comes to sport utility vehicles. Both the 2021 Honda CR-V and 2021 Honda Pilot inspire the passions of the car-buying public. Each vehicle offers top-of-the-line features and outstanding performance in comfort, fuel efficiency, safety, and looks. Choosing between the CR-V and the Pilot is no easy task. What you ultimately decide depends on your family’s needs and how you intend to use the vehicle. To help you choose, our team has put together this comparison guide for the CR-V and the Pilot.

Comparing Trim Levels

“Honda CR-V Hybrid” licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 via Flickr by peterolthof

The Honda CR-V is a mid-sized sport utility vehicle that has earned a series of accolades. Sales data show that the CR-V has been one of the best-selling crossovers in the U.S. auto market for the last 10 years, and U.S. News and World Report named the CR-V as the best compact SUV for the money for 2021.

Drivers can choose from four trims with a CR-V gas engine and three trims with a CR-V hybrid gas/electric engine. The trims start with the LX model and include EX, EX-L, and Touring. The hybrid trim includes only the EX, EX-L, and Touring.

The 2021 Honda Pilot is a three-row mid-size SUV available in your choice of seven trims, with no hybrid option. The trims include the Honda Pilot LX, EX, EX-L, Special Edition, Touring, and Elite. The 2021 Honda Pilot has earned a 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration.

Engine

Owners of the gas-powered Honda CR-V will be navigating around town with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged gas engine. This engine generates 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. The CR-V’s hybrid engine generates a bit more pop with 212 horsepower. The CR-V all-wheel-drive version brings real-time intelligence to the road with the Real-Time All-Wheel-Drive system. This system recognizes when driving conditions get harder, either by going off-road or due to weather, and then applies greater torque to rear wheels when needed.

The base engine of the 2021 Honda Pilot is a 3.5-liter, six-cylinder gas engine that puts out 280 horsepower and produces 262 pound-feet of torque. All versions of the Pilot have the same engine and transmission, so you can choose your trim based on other factors.

Performance

Performance is key in determining the right choice between the CR-V and the Pilot. Both vehicles will have you smiling at the gas pump. The two-wheel-drive 2021 Honda CR-V gets an estimated 28 city/34 highway and 30 mpg combined; the all-wheel-drive trim registers an estimated 27 city/32 highway/29 combined mpg, according to the EPA. The hybrid trim tops both of those, reaching an estimated 40 city/35 highway/38 combined mpg. All estimates are based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings.

By comparison, the 2021 Honda Pilot gets an EPA estimated 20 city/27 highway/23 combined mpg for two-wheel-drive trims. The all-wheel-drive trim gets an estimated 19 city/26 highway/22 combined mpg rating. These numbers are also based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings.

Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery-pack age and condition for hybrid trims, and other factors.

Interior

Ride with a sense of style and luxury in the 2021 Honda CR-V. On cold days, you will appreciate the heated steering wheel and leather-trimmed and heated front seats. The driver display includes a driver information center allowing you to view the car’s condition. There are also alarms in case the car detects drowsy driving. The CR-V lets drivers and passengers adjust temperatures to their liking with zoned climate control. You can also configure the CR-V for optimal cargo orientation with the 60-40 split rear seatback.

The 2021 Honda Pilot offers seating for eight people, with modular configurations to adjust as needed. Unique to the Pilot is a second row that includes captain’s chairs. One-touch second-row seating makes it easier for passengers to climb into the third row. Folks in the third row can communicate with the driver or front-row passenger through the Cabin Talk PA system.

Technology

In the 2021 Honda CR-V, technology makes connectivity and audio a highlight of the driving experience. Start with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, which lets you connect your mobile phone through the in-dash 7-inch diagonal display screen. You can also connect your phone through audio USB connections.

Once linked, you’ll be able to send text messages, choose a playlist, or listen to podcasts right from the screen. You will be able to listen with high-quality sound through the CR-V’s 330-watt, 9-speaker premium audio system. The system comes ready for subscriptions to Sirius XM, HD Radio, and Pandora. The CR-V also provides built-in wireless phone charging.

You can expect the same levels of connectivity in the 2021 Honda Pilot, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unique to the Pilot is access to the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, which relies on offline maps. Since we live in the age of individual control, you can grant passengers the power to adjust audio and other settings to their liking through the CabinControl app.

Safety Features

The 2021 Honda CR-V offers a range of Honda safety measures that will give you peace of mind. These include the Honda Sensing Suite, a group of driver-assist technologies that will help you navigate the road safely; Collision Mitigation Braking System, an intelligent feature that applies brakes when the car sees an unavoidable collision; and the Road Departure Mitigation System, which detects when your car veers out of lane without signaling. For long drives, you will appreciate the Lane Keeping Assist System, which helps adjust steering to keep you centered.

The Honda Pilot is also similarly outfitted for safety. One unique feature in the Pilot is the Intelligent Traction Management System, which adjusts for conditions such as snow, rain, sand, or mud. The 2021 Honda Pilot also includes the same systems as those in the CR-V, including the Sensing Suite and Road Departure System.

The sales team at Ike Honda, serving Marion, Illinois, is ready to talk with you about your driving needs. Whether you are interested in the 2021 CR-V, 2021 Pilot, or another Honda vehicle, we would love the chance to earn your business. Stop in to browse our showroom or contact us online.