You’ve looked at your budget and the reviews. The Honda CR-V keeps winning awards in its class, but you are wondering if you need more seats.  Is the Pilot just a CR-V with more seats? Read on to find out.

Dimensions

The first difference between this Honda compact crossover and the brand’s three-row is dimensions. In this case, the Honda CR-V has a smaller footprint compared to the Honda Pilot. It is easier to park because it isn’t as long. The turning circle is tighter, too. So, from a driving standpoint, the CR-V is a bit easier to handle.

On the other hand, the Pilot stands taller than the CR-V. It’s also wider. That allows it to offer wider seats with more headroom than the CR-V.  However it should be noted that the CR-V actually offers more legroom on the second row. This is an important point for those who may be seating teenagers there.

Cargo Space

The Pilot has 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row up.  If you assume all seats are filled, that’s not much room for luggage. However, the Pilot is a bigger, heavier vehicle and can offer more than 1500 pounds of payload capacity.  

The CR-V offers 39.2 cubic feet of standard cargo space. That’s more than double the area for your family’s gear. The CR-V payload capacity is lower, limited to just over 1100 pounds.

Purchasing Decisions

The cost of the Pilot can be anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000 more than what you might spend on the same trim level of the CR-V.  That makes your trade in value even more important. So, what do you get for your money?

 The Pilot EX-L is dressed up with leather seats and has all of the gadgets you could expect.  There’s an advanced HVAC system, power seats, one-touch  second-row seating  and a much more powerful engine than the CR-V. This V-6 delivers 280 horsepower and harnesses it with a 9-speed automatic transmission.  For a driver, this engine may feel more responsive, even though the Pilot is bigger than the CR-V.

A CR-V has a 190-horsepower engine, and, as such, its fuel economy is much better than the Pilot. It has almost as many Honda Sensing systems as the Pilot, but it doesn’t have the blind spot monitor until a higher trim level.  There are cloth seats and the Bluetooth system is simpler than the one on the Pilot EX-L.  

Almost every interior feature available on the Pilot is available on the CR-V. There are a few exceptions. Only the Pilot has second-row sunshades. In keeping with its status as a bigger three-row SUV, it offers a panoramic sunroof and an advanced rear entertainment system. It also offers Honda CabinTalk, a unique in-car PA system that lets the driver talk to the kids in the back row.

All in all, the Honda CR-V can hold its own against the Pilot, unless you are looking for more seats.  Then it comes down to how the two are priced.  With the money you save on the CR-V, you could get a higher trim level and bring it closer to the Pilot’s overall material quality.