Is the Honda Pilot more reliable than the Nissan Pathfinder?

No. The Pathfinder has a clear edge. Both models stand as good, but Pilot owners filed 9.1 complaints per 10,000 sold against 3.5 for the Pathfinder. The Pilot also has more crash-linked problem areas, including electrical, engine, and forward collision avoidance.

Which has more recalls, the Pilot or the Pathfinder?

The Pilot has far more. Federal recall records show 51 recalls across 9 model years for the Pilot, against 14 across 8 model years for the Pathfinder. One Pilot recall, 23V858000, covers the fuel pump, and owners reported dealers lacking parts for it.

Which costs less to repair, the Pilot or the Pathfinder?

They cost the same. Independent repair-cost data estimates $542 a year for both. The Pathfinder averages 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.5 for the Pilot. A repair is major 15% of the time on the Pathfinder and 13% on the Pilot.

What is the biggest problem with the Nissan Pathfinder?

The CVT is the most serious pattern. Owners describe judder, slipping, lurching, and surging forward near a stop, often between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. Dealers frequently find no fault codes, so some cars go home unrepaired. Brake warning lights and timing chain wear also appear.

Which Honda Pilot years should I avoid?

Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest Pilot years. Common complaints across the model include the infotainment screen going blank, stop/start that will not restart the engine, and the front camera shutting off driver aids. Check the fuel pump recall repair on any Pilot you consider.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder: Reliability Compared

Honda Pilot

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Pathfinder

Good

Clear reliability edge goes to the Nissan Pathfinder over the Honda Pilot, whose owners filed far more complaints per vehicle sold. Repair costs are identical at $542 a year, so complaint volume and recall counts decide it.

How Do the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder Generations Compare?

Third-generation Pilots were sold 2016 through 2022, with a refresh for 2019. Its weakest years, 2019 and 2020, both sit in that generation. The fourth generation began in 2023 and ran through 2025, and a facelift arrived for 2026. Those newer years rank well, but they have had less time to collect complaints. The Pathfinder's fourth generation ran from 2013 through 2020 and got a facelift for 2017, so 2018 through 2020 are late-cycle cars. The fifth generation began in 2022, with a facelift for 2023. Its first year, 2022, is among the Pathfinder's weakest.

Verdict

The Nissan Pathfinder is more reliable than the Honda Pilot, scoring 74/100 vs 68/100.

Clear edge goes to the Pathfinder. Both sit in good standing, but Pilot owners filed far more complaints for each vehicle sold, and federal recall records show many more recalls for the Pilot. The Pilot also has crash-linked complaints in electrical, engine, power train, and forward collision avoidance. The Pathfinder has them only in power train and speed control. Repair cost is identical, so the decision rests on how often things go wrong and how many safety systems are involved.

Key Differences

1Nissan Pathfinder has 37 fewer total recalls
2Nissan Pathfinder scores 6 points higher in reliability
3Nissan Pathfinder has 5.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1Honda Pilot

—

4Nissan Pathfinder

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder: Which Is More Reliable?

Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Honda Pilot	Nissan Pathfinder
Reliability Score	68/100	74/100
Years Tracked	9	8
Total Recalls	51	14
Complaints per 10k Sold	9.1	3.5
Annual Repair Cost	$542/yr	$542/yr
Repair Frequency	0.5/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	15%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	1	7

What Are the Common Problems With the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder?

Electrical faults set the Pilot apart. The infotainment screen goes blank with "Network Communication Lost," taking the backup camera and sometimes the gauge cluster with it, and that area has 7 crash-linked complaints. Add engine failures traced to connecting rod bearings, stop/start that will not restart the engine, and a front camera that shuts off driver aids or brakes for nothing. Pathfinder electrical complaints are milder: key fob locks that stop working and a backup camera that cuts out. Its serious reports center on CVT judder and surging near stops, brake warning lights, and timing chain wear. Only the Pilot has crash-linked engine, electrical, and collision-avoidance complaints.

Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder common problem areas comparison
Component	Honda Pilot	Nissan Pathfinder
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.4Low	0.5Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.1Low	0.5Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	0.5Very Low
ENGINE	1Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	0.4Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.6Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.6Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	0.1Very Low
TIRES	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Honda Pilot or Nissan Pathfinder?

Independent repair-cost data puts both models at the same estimated annual cost of $542, so five years of upkeep comes to about $2,710 on either one. Neither saves you money there. The Pathfinder needs slightly fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.4 a year against 0.5. The Pilot has a small edge on severity: 13% of its repairs are major, against 15% for the Pathfinder. Expect more trips with the Pilot and slightly bigger bills when something fails on the Pathfinder.

How Does Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder Reliability Compare by Year?

Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Honda Pilot	Nissan Pathfinder	Edge
2026	81/1000R / 0C	82/1000R / 1C	Nissan Pathfinder
2025	71/1004R / 111C	78/1001R / 25C	Nissan Pathfinder
2024	72/1006R / 82C	74/1002R / 38C	Nissan Pathfinder
2023	72/1005R / 93C	74/1001R / 86C	Nissan Pathfinder
2022	72/1003R / 105C	66/1005R / 119C	Honda Pilot
2020	60/1009R / 431C	78/1000R / 43C	Nissan Pathfinder
2019	56/10011R / 794C	71/1002R / 71C	Nissan Pathfinder
2018	63/1005R / 408C	68/1003R / 74C	Nissan Pathfinder

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Honda Pilot scored 72/100 and the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder scored 78/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Honda Pilot vs the Nissan Pathfinder?

Choose the Pathfinder if you want the fewest surprises. Owners filed far fewer complaints per vehicle sold, and its electrical problems are mostly annoyances like fob locks and a cutting-out backup camera. Target 2020, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2022 and 2018, its weakest. Test drive for CVT judder or hesitation near stops, since dealers often cannot reproduce it and cars leave unrepaired. Choose the Pilot if you value a slightly lower chance that a repair is major, 13% against 15%, and you can accept a heavier complaint history. Check that the infotainment screen, backup camera, and stop/start behave normally, and ask whether the fuel pump recall 23V858000 repair was done. Avoid 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. 2023 ranks among its strongest, but newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof of trouble-free ownership.

Honda Pilot vs Nissan Pathfinder: Common Questions

Is the Honda Pilot more reliable than the Nissan Pathfinder?: No. The Pathfinder has a clear edge. Both models stand as good, but Pilot owners filed 9.1 complaints per 10,000 sold against 3.5 for the Pathfinder. The Pilot also has more crash-linked problem areas, including electrical, engine, and forward collision avoidance.
Which has more recalls, the Pilot or the Pathfinder?: The Pilot has far more. Federal recall records show 51 recalls across 9 model years for the Pilot, against 14 across 8 model years for the Pathfinder. One Pilot recall, 23V858000, covers the fuel pump, and owners reported dealers lacking parts for it.
Which costs less to repair, the Pilot or the Pathfinder?: They cost the same. Independent repair-cost data estimates $542 a year for both. The Pathfinder averages 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.5 for the Pilot. A repair is major 15% of the time on the Pathfinder and 13% on the Pilot.
What is the biggest problem with the Nissan Pathfinder?: The CVT is the most serious pattern. Owners describe judder, slipping, lurching, and surging forward near a stop, often between 60,000 and 80,000 miles. Dealers frequently find no fault codes, so some cars go home unrepaired. Brake warning lights and timing chain wear also appear.
Which Honda Pilot years should I avoid?: Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest Pilot years. Common complaints across the model include the infotainment screen going blank, stop/start that will not restart the engine, and the front camera shutting off driver aids. Check the fuel pump recall repair on any Pilot you consider.

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How we score the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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