Kia Telluride vs Honda Pilot
Three-row SUVs · head to head, 2020–2027
The Kia Telluride and Honda Pilot were both sold for 8 model years (2020–2027). Among the Telluride's own years, its best bet is 2022; no year to avoid; the newest year rated a good buy is 2025. Among the Pilot's own years, its best bet is 2022; no year to avoid; the newest year rated a good buy is 2025.
Kia Telluride
SUV · 2020–2027
- Best bet 2022
- Newest good buy 2025
- Avoid none
- Be careful 2020
Honda Pilot
SUV · 2010–2027
- Best bet 2022
- Newest good buy 2025
- Avoid none
- Be careful 2017, 2019
How to read this: each model's verdicts compare that model's own years with each other (serious owner complaints per car on the road against that model's usual year, using New York registrations). They are not a reliability ranking of one model against the other, so a good-buy Telluride year says nothing about whether it beats a Pilot. (How we judge.)
Year by year, side by side
| Year | Kia Telluride | Honda Pilot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | TOO NEWOnly 0.2 years of owner reports | Not rated | Side by side |
| 2026 | Not rated | TOO NEWOnly 1.1 years of owner reports | Side by side |
| 2025 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.7× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual | Side by side |
| 2024 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.9× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual | Side by side |
| 2023 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.6× usual | Side by side |
| 2022 | BEST BUYSerious complaints 0.6× usual | BEST BUYSerious complaints 0.4× usual | Side by side |
| 2021 | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.2× usual | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.8× usual | Side by side |
| 2020 | CAREFULSerious complaints 2.0× usual, mostly engine and power train | GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.2× usual | Side by side |
Each chip rates that year against the same model's other years. Tap a chip for the year's details; "Side by side" compares both models that year, trim by trim.
Compare any year, trim by trim
2025: the newest shared year with full data, at a glance
Newer years (up to 2027) have thinner price and equipment data for one or both models, so this table uses 2025. Use "Compare any year" above for the others.
| 2025 Kia Telluride | 2025 Honda Pilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict (vs the model's own years) | GOOD BUY | GOOD BUY |
| Starting price (MSRP range) | $36,390 to $53,685 base price by trim, 10 trims | — |
| Engines and horsepower | 3.8L 6-cyl | 3.5L 6-cyl, 285 hp |
| Fuel economy (EPA combined) | 20–22 mpg | 20–22 mpg |
| Seats | 7–8 | — |
| Third row | Yes | — |
| Cargo behind last row | — | — |
| Max towing | 5,000–5,500 lb | — |
| NHTSA crash rating | 5 of 5 stars | 5 of 5 stars |
| Recalls · owner complaints (NHTSA) | 3 · 116 | 4 · 202 |
Sources: OpenSpec and the makers' equipment guides, NHTSA vPIC, EPA and NHTSA ratings. Cargo, towing and bed length rows appear when we have them. "—": not in our data. Compare every 2025 trim →
Key features: base trim vs top trim
| Telluride LX lowest price, $36,390 | Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige highest price, $53,685 | Pilot SPORT first listed | Pilot BLACK EDITION last listed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Apple CarPlay | — | — | No | No |
| Adaptive cruise control | Standard | Standard | Standard | No |
| Blind-spot warning | Standard | Standard | Standard | No |
| Heated front seats | — | Standard | Standard | No |
| Ventilated front seats | — | Standard | No | No |
| Sunroof or moonroof | — | — | No | No |
| 360-degree camera | — | Standard | No | No |
| Power liftgate or tailgate | — | Standard | No | No |
| Remote start | Standard | Standard | Standard | No |
"Standard" and "Optional" are for that trim as the 2025 data lists it (a package or option adds an "Optional" item); "—": not verified in our sources, never a guess. The cheapest and most expensive trim of each model; every trim is on the model's 2025 page (Telluride, Pilot).
Known fixes and extended coverage
Kia Telluride
13 manufacturer programs on file: 3 extended coverage, 10 repair programs.
- Extended coverage WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (WTY045) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage to all owners for certain repairs related to… (WTY045, 2020–2025 models)
- Extended coverage WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (WTY040) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs related to noisy… (WTY040, 2020–2024 models)
- Extended coverage This warranty extension addresses, at no cost to the customer, the potential failure of the halogen headlamp assembly, which may cause a loss of high-beam functionality. WARRANTY EXTENSION: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO -This document is the… (WTY030, 2020 models)
Honda Pilot
29 manufacturer programs on file: 29 extended coverage, 0 repair programs.
- Extended coverage Warranty Extension - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle may not automatically restart. (ONL6T603102023-4, 2017–2022 models)
- Extended coverage Warranty Extension - Warranty Extension reimbursement form for engine idle stop repairs made before the warranty extension notice date. (ONL6T603102023-2, 2018–2022 models)
- Extended coverage Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator for 2010-12 Accord and Other Listed Years and Models (Expires September 30, 2028) (19-003-1, 2010–2012, 2014–2015 models)
- Extended coverage Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Honda is extending the warranty coverage for valve… (A23-009, 2017–2020 models)
From manufacturer bulletins filed with NHTSA, counted per program. A count is how many programs exist, not how good or bad a model is: a maker that extends coverage is paying for a known problem. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
Which should you buy?
- Buying used, years both are rated a good buy: 2021–2025. In those years, choose on price, size and features.
- Years to skip: neither model has a year we rate avoid.
- Newest year rated a good buy: Telluride 2025; Pilot 2025.
- Before you buy either: run the VIN for open recalls and ask the dealer whether the extended-coverage repairs above were done.
Rules applied to the data on this page: no overall winner is declared, because our verdicts compare each model with itself.