Compare the2022 Honda PilotVS 2021 Dodge Durango

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Durango’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Pilot’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango and is not available with SXT.

The Pilot has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Durango’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Pilot has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Cross-path warning costs extra on the Durango.

Both the Pilot and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Dodge Durango:

	Pilot	Durango
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	28%	34%
Neck Stress	189 lbs.	236 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	46/243 lbs.	339/364 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	216	295
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	116 lbs.	156 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Durango:

	Pilot	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	24 cm	26 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Femur Force R/L	.1/.5 kN	5.3/2.5 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	6%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.41/.41	1.53/.59

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Dodge Durango:

	Pilot	Durango
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	101 G’s	111 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	304 lbs.	446 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Pilot is 2.3% to 4.8% less likely to roll over than the Durango.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Pilot has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Pilot’s reliability 15 points higher than the Durango.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 5 places higher in reliability than Dodge.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Pilot is faster than the Dodge Durango:

	Pilot	Durango Dual Exhaust	Durango V8
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	8 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.1 sec	15 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.9 MPH	86.9 MPH	93.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Pilot
	FWD	3.5 SOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Pilot uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Durango with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

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 Durango doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-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 Durango.

Brakes and Stopping

The Pilot stops much shorter than the Durango:

	Pilot	Durango
70 to 0 MPH	180 feet	190 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	142 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	153 feet	160 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

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 Durango doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Pilot has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Pilot flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Pilot (except LX)’s optional drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Durango doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango.

The Pilot Elite 4WD handles at .80 G’s, while the Durango GT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Pilot Elite 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Pilot’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Durango’s (39.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

Chassis

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 1050 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The Pilot is 4.7 inches shorter than the Durango, making the Pilot easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Pilot Elite 4WD is quieter than the Durango GT 4x4 (37 vs. 38 dB).

Passenger Space

The Pilot has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry up to 7.

The Pilot has 10.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Durango (151.7 vs. 141.4).

The Pilot has .6 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room, 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.1 inches more third row headroom, 2.2 inches more third row hip room and 7.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pilot’s middle and third row seats recline. The Durango’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Pilot	Durango
Behind Third Seat	18.5 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	55.9 cubic feet	43.3 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	109.2 cubic feet	85.1 cubic feet

The Pilot has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Durango doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Pilot SE/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Durango doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The Pilot’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Durango, and is not available on all models.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Pilot’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Durango’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Pilot to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Durango doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Pilot SE/Elite//Black Edition has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Durango doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Pilot owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pilot will cost $585 less than the Durango over a five-year period.

The Pilot will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Pilot will retain 51.32% to 53.62% of its original price after five years, while the Durango only retains 47.45% to 50.91%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Pilot is less expensive to operate than the Durango because it costs $400 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Pilot than the Durango, including $64 less for front brake pads, $210 less for front struts, $522 less for a timing belt/chain and $10 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Pilot will be $890 to $1932 less than for the Dodge Durango.

Recommendations

The Honda Pilot has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Pilot	Durango
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	FALSE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE