Compare the2026 Honda PilotVS 2027 Kia Telluride

The Honda Pilot has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Telluride doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Telluride’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Pilot has standard Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Honda Pilot TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s Multi-View Camera System is equipped with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Kia Telluride only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

Both the Pilot and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Honda Pilot achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Telluride has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

The Pilot’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Telluride runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 34 percent more Honda dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 11 more horsepower (285 vs. 274) than the Telluride’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the Telluride:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The Telluride doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Pilot has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Telluride doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Telluride.

For better stopping power the Pilot’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Telluride:

For better traction, the Pilot has larger standard tires than the Telluride (255/50R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The Pilot EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Telluride LX/EX Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires.

The Pilot has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Telluride doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Telluride; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Pilot TrailSport handles at .81 G’s, while the Telluride SX Prestige pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Telluride’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.2 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Telluride’s (37.8 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Pilot uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Telluride doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Pilot has .5 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.9 inches more third row headroom, .4 inches more third row legroom and 4.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Telluride.

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the Telluride.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 41% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

The Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Telluride offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Honda Pilot retains 51.72% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 51.21% resale value of the 2027 Kia Telluride after five years, which can save the Honda’s owner.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda Pilot outsold the Kia Telluride by 928 units during 2025.