Compare the2023 Kia TellurideVS 2022 Honda Pilot

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Telluride and Pilot have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Telluride has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Pilot’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Telluride are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The Pilot doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Telluride SX has standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Pilot doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Telluride’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Pilot doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Telluride SX has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Pilot only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Telluride’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Pilot doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Telluride and the Pilot have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and available all wheel drive.

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

	Telluride	Pilot
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	91 lbs.	478 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	351/369 lbs.	478/436 lbs.

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

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Telluride is safer than the Honda Pilot:

	Telluride	Pilot
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	41	109
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	93 lbs.	101 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	233
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
Hip Force	640 lbs.	838 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia Telluride is much safer than the Pilot:

	Telluride	Pilot
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	68	206
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	335 lbs.
Neck Compression	-45 lbs.	0 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	.67 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.22 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1339 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	70	206
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	-67 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	.94 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.46 in	2.05 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	12 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	491 lbs.	759 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Telluride is .9% to 3.2% less likely to roll over than the Pilot.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Telluride its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Pilot last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The Telluride comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Pilot’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Telluride 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Pilot. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Pilot ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Telluride’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Pilot’s camshafts. If the Pilot’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Telluride second among upper midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Pilot isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 16th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 85 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 24th.

Engine

The Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 11 more horsepower (291 vs. 280) than the Pilot’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Telluride higher (5 out of 10) than the Honda Pilot (3). This means the Telluride produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pilot every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Telluride	Pilot
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.6 inches

The Telluride stops much shorter than the Pilot:

	Telluride	Pilot
70 to 0 MPH	162 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Telluride has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Telluride has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Pilot doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Telluride’s wheelbase is 3.2 inches longer than on the Pilot (114.2 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Telluride is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Pilot.

The Telluride SX 4x4 handles at .81 G’s, while the Pilot Elite 4WD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Telluride SX 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Pilot Elite 4WD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Telluride’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Pilot’s (38.8 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Telluride has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pilot (8 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Telluride to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Telluride X-Line/X-Pro’s minimum ground clearance is 1.1 inches higher than on the Pilot (8.4 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Telluride SX 4x4 is quieter than the Pilot Elite 4WD:

	Telluride	Pilot
At idle	36 dB	37 dB
Full-Throttle	74 dB	78 dB
70 MPH Cruising	63 dB	67 dB

Passenger Space

The Telluride has 3.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Pilot (155 vs. 151.7).

The Telluride has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more rear headroom, 4 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear hip room than the Pilot.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Telluride	Pilot
Behind Third Seat	21 cubic feet	18.5 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Telluride’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Pilot doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Telluride’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pilot’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The Telluride uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pilot uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Telluride SX Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Pilot doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Telluride’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Pilot’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Telluride and the Pilot have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Telluride is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Pilot prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Telluride’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Pilot’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Telluride’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Pilot’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

The Telluride EX/SX has standard front air conditioned seats and the Telluride SX Prestige also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Pilot doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Telluride owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Telluride with a number “8” insurance rate while the Pilot is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

The Telluride will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Telluride will retain 54.84% to 55.57% of its original price after five years, while the Pilot only retains 52.23% to 53.92%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Telluride is less expensive to operate than the Pilot because typical repairs cost less on the Telluride than the Pilot, including $29 less for a water pump, $88 less for a starter and $47 less for a fuel pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Telluride will be $2565 to $2755 less than for the Honda Pilot.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Kia Telluride as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Kia Telluride SX 4x4 first. They ranked the Honda Pilot Black Edition 4WD third.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Telluride second among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Pilot isn’t in the top three.

The Telluride was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 3 more times in the last 4 years. The Pilot hasn’t been picked since 2007.

Motor Trend selected the Telluride as their 2020 Sport Utility of the Year. The Pilot has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Telluride as the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Pilot has never been chosen.

The Kia Telluride outsold the Honda Pilot by 324 units during 2022.

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