Buying Guide Index

Cars.comparison: Kings of Suburbia

By Mike Hanley, David Thomas and Kelsey Mays

Whether you're driving to the mall or the grocery store, there's a good chance you'll pass a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander during your travels around suburbia. These strong-selling models helped invent the crossover segment when they were introduced in the early part of the millennium, and both were recently redesigned. Joining them in a Faceoff in this popular segment is Dodge's new Journey, but does it have the mettle to dethrone a king, or is it merely a court jester? Let's find out.

 = Category winner
The Contenders
2009 Dodge Journey R/T AWD2009 Honda Pilot Touring AWD2008 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD
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Base MSRP
$28,535$38,395$34,350
Price as tested
$32,510$40,665$42,090
Cul-de-sac cred
Dodge's new Journey finds the sweet spot in styling between the macho Pilot and the meek Highlander with a look that's aggressive but not excessive, functional but not boring. Welcome to the neighborhood, Dodge. Honda bucks the trend toward sleek crossovers with its new Pilot, which is about as sleek as a cinder block. It looks a lot more rugged than the Dodge or Toyota, and wasn't it tough looks that drew legions of suburbanites to the original Ford Explorer?Toyota's worked out some of the homeliness of its Highlander in this second generation, but the smooth bodysides and svelte shape let you know that this SUV is designed for pavement. Toyota reliability will win points with your neighbors even if its styling doesn't.
Drivetrain performance
Chrysler's 3.5-liter V-6 has never been thrilling, but teamed with the Journey's six-speed automatic transmission it's quite smooth during normal driving. With only 235 horsepower it doesn't feel sporty in the least, but staffer after staffer came away pleasantly surprised by its performance. Though quick enough, the Pilot's 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine doesn't knock you out the way the Highlander's V-6 can, but the automatic transmission is a cooperative servant.The Highlander's 270-hp V-6 churns out strong power at higher revs, but the automatic transmission feels significantly lazier than the Pilot's. In rolling stops it can sometimes hesitate getting back to first gear.
Gas mileage (city/highway, mpg)
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Dodge has some work to do on its V-6 fuel economy; the Journey has both the lowest gas mileage estimates and the least horsepower of this trio. A four-cylinder engine is offered, however, and that model gets 19/25 mpg. 		16/22
This rating is an improvement over the outgoing four-wheel-drive Pilot, but even with Honda's advanced cylinder-deactivation system, the new Pilot still trails the Highlander's impressive gas mileage estimates.		 17/23
Class-leading V-6 fuel economy is all the more noteworthy when you consider the Highlander also has the most horsepower of these three crossovers. You really can have it all.
Ride and handling
The Journey features rather precise steering for a crossover of any size. While it isn't nimble, turns were relatively quick, and we enjoyed driving it more than we did recent Chrysler sedans. There was also very little of the tippiness associated with SUVs. Apart from slightly vague steering feel when initially turning the wheel, the Pilot is easy to drive, and it responds well when driven aggressively thanks to limited body roll when cornering. This Highlander doesn't seem up to snuff with Toyotas past. The highway ride is calm until you hit rough pavement, where the suspension gets a bit loud. Body roll is significant — OK, maybe that keeps with Toyotas past.
Parkability
Just because Dodge didn't go small with the Journey doesn't mean it's hard to park. The windows aren't as large as the Pilot's, but visibility is good and allows for fairly easy parallel parking. A backup camera is part of a very affordable $695 Safe and Sound package.It's not hard to get used to the Pilot's size, and the large side and rear windows mean your view shouldn't be obstructed. A backup camera is standard on uplevel EX-L and Touring models. The Highlander wins this one for its backup camera, which is standard on two of the three trim levels. Large side mirrors help, but the massive third-row head restraints could hide a double-wide Costco shopping cart.
Interior roominess and comfort
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The Journey loses out on interior comfort for the family. While it's plenty spacious up front, second-row legroom is sparse. The optional third row is an afterthought and much more confining than the competition. Much of the claustrophobic feeling comes from the Journey's narrowness. It loses the rear hip room race to the other two, and that's where you really feel the pinch.
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Firm front bucket seats offer good support, and second-row passengers enjoy good legroom and a seat that can slide forward and backward and also recline. The third row offers passable comfort for short trips, but is more suitable for children. Both sections of the second-row seat slide forward to ease third-row access.
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Like the Pilot, the Highlander has a fully adjustable second row, though it's also a bit low to the ground. The third row's legroom is usable but relies on charitable second-row passengers, and headroom is scant. Unlike the Pilot, only the passenger-side second-row seat slides forward to aid entry.
Electronic baby sitters
Dodge's optional rear entertainment system includes an 8-inch screen, upgraded Infinity speakers and a subwoofer, plus wireless headphones. Dodge wins points for being the only one of these three to offer the system on all trims of its crossover. Honda's backseat entertainment system is the only option for Touring models. It matches the Highlander's system with a 9-inch screen.Both the midlevel Highlander Sport and top-of-the-line Limited have optional rear entertainment systems with a 9-inch screen.
Cargo room
The Journey's size again hurts it in the cargo department. With just 10.66 cubic feet behind the third row, the Journey just edges out the Highlander and is well behind the Pilot. It also has the least amount of space behind the first row with the rear seats folded: 67.6 cubic feet. The Pilot offers the most cargo room behind the third row, with 18 cubic feet of space. There's also a large well beneath the cargo floor. Maximum cargo volume with the rear seats folded is 87 cubic feet.With 10.3 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third row, the Highlander ranks last. Fold the second and third row, however, and its 95.4 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume beats the other two.
Overall value
Our test Journey was about half equipped at $32,510, which is less than the starting price of the other two crossover combatants. If you want to add a moonroof, 19-inch chrome wheels (both on our tester) and other options, Dodge offers them at bargain-basement prices. The lower gas mileage has negative long-term implications, however.The Pilot is pricey and you need to move up a few trim levels to even have the ability to add some desirable options. The interior also doesn't feel as luxurious as other new Hondas, like the Accord or Odyssey minivan, both of which make you feel like you got something extra for the higher cost. At least you should have good resale value — assuming the price of gas doesn't keep skyrocketing, which would affect all three of these relatively large models.The options added up fast on our Highlander Limited, ringing up the highest as-tested price, and Toyota makes you pay for small stuff like a cargo mat. Good fuel economy and predicted resale value help lessen the sting.
 
Editors' choice
Dodge delivers a surprisingly competitive vehicle that wins out on price but little else. Even an interior that's above average for Chrysler manages to just about match — but never exceed — the other two. Take into account the lack of space inside for all the junk that goes along with having a family, and there's no way it can hang with the likes of the new Pilot and Highlander. If you can get around the looks — which were hit or miss with our editors — the Pilot wins out over the other two in almost every regard. This redesigned model might become common in your suburb, lessening the impact of the funky looks, but there'll be good reason for its popularity. Fuel economy is becoming more and more important to all drivers, and while the Highlander has the edge here, it's a small one that's overshadowed by the Pilot's better drivetrain, ride quality and interior room.
Posted on 7/1/08
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