The three-row SUV category has a roster filled with stout competitors. There are newcomers like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Volkswagen Atlas, as well as aging stalwarts like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Sequoia, and Chevrolet Tahoe.

While the list will likely continue to grow over the coming years, thanks to the rising popularity of SUVs, we thought it would be interesting to compare two of the currently most popular options. So here are five ways in which the GMC Acadia bests the Honda Pilot.

Traction Select System

The Honda Pilot comes in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations as does the GMC Acadia. However, one feature that we like in the Acadia is the option to switch between the front- and all-wheel-drive modes thanks to the Traction Select knob on the center console.

With the simple twist of the knob, you can either save fuel or gain more traction. On the other hand, you would have switch trims completely with the Honda Pilot.

More powerful engines

The Honda Pilot comes with a 3.5-liter engine that produces 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. That’s a good amount of power for the everyday drive and some light towing, however, the GMC Acadia is available with three different engine choices.

The base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 193 horsepower and 188 lb-ft, while a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that pushes out 230 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque is also available. If you need more power, then you can get a 3.6-liter V6 engine that’s rated at 310 hp and 271 lb-ft of torque in the higher trim levels.

Better fuel economy

With its sole engine choice, the Honda Pilot is capable of achieving 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway in its front-wheel-drive form, however, opting for all-wheel-drive loses 1 mpg in the city.

On the other hand, the GMC Acadia benefits from having different engine choices and can achieve up to 21 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway when it’s powered by the turbo 2.0-liter engine in front-wheel-drive form.

Practicality

The Honda Pilot does have a ton of storage spaces that can be used, including a bevy of cupholders and power-folding second-row seats. However, the GMC Acadia kicks the convenience up a notch by offering pull-handles in the cargo area to handily fold down the second row when you’re positioned at the rear of the SUV and it also has a 110-volt plug outlet in the second row.

One interesting difference to note is that a 360-degree camera is available on the Acadia and not on the Pilot. Considering how big the Pilot is, what was Honda thinking?

Pricing

The GMC Acadia has four different trim levels and a variety of configurations, while the Honda Pilot has six different trim levels that set with their own features. Pricing wise, the Acadia does start at a lower price, around $30,995, while the Pilot starts at $700 higher. Fully loaded, they both top out around $50,000, but you do get more power with the Acadia at that price.

It’s a tough segment

If you’re shopping for a three-row SUV, there are definitely a lot of options to weigh out aside from pricing and seating configurations. And while this segment offers a lot of tough competitors to choose from, we think that the Acadia is a formidable rival and definitely deserves a look. You might just like it more than the aging Honda Pilot.