Compare the2025 Honda PilotVS 2025 Dodge Durango

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Dodge Durango doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 Pilot are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Durango doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Honda Pilot has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps 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 Durango 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 Durango’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Pilot is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Dodge Durango, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Pilot	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH	-20 MPH	No Slowing
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	-34 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	No Warning
37 MPH Low beams	-28 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.6 sec	No Warning

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

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.

The Pilot TrailSport/Elite/Black Edition has a standard Multi-View Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango 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 Pilot’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 Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

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
Head injury index	104	119
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	23 cm	26 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Femur Force R/L	.4/.6 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	.26/.42	1.53/.59

The Honda Pilot has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Durango is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 120 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 16 places higher in reliability than Dodge.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Pilot is faster than the Dodge Durango V6:

	Pilot	Durango
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.6 MPH	86.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Pilot
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/25 hwy
		TrailSport 3.5 DOHC V6	18 city/23 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/24 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 on average about 49.8 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.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Pilot higher (7 out of 10) than the Dodge Durango (4 to 6). This means the Pilot produces up to 13.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Durango every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

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 Durango.

Brakes and Stopping

The Pilot stops much shorter than the Durango:

	Pilot	Durango
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	144 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 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.

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Durango. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

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.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 3.4 inches wider in the front and 3.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Durango.

The Pilot TrailSport handles at .85 G’s, while the Durango GT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Pilot Elite executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Durango’s (37.7 feet vs. 41 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Durango’s (37.8 feet vs. 41 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Pilot TrailSport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Durango (8.3 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Pilot to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The front grille of the Pilot uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Durango doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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 cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Pilot TrailSport is quieter than the Durango GT 4x4 (66 vs. 67 dB).

Passenger Space

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry 7.

The Pilot has 17 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Durango (158.4 vs. 141.4).

The Pilot has .6 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room, 3.4 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom, 1.9 inches more rear hip room, 4 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.5 inches more third row headroom, 2.2 inches more third row hip room and 9.1 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	21.8 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	59.5 cubic feet	43.3 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	111.8 cubic feet	85.1 cubic feet

The Pilot’s cargo area is larger than the Durango’s in almost every dimension:

	Pilot	Durango
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	19.4”/51.3”/84.2”	20”/50”/83”
Max Width	57.6”	49”
Min Width	44.7”	42.5”
Height	33.9”	36”

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Pilot Elite/Touring/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 Elite/Black Edition has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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

The Pilot’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 Durango’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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” 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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Pilot owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pilot will cost $370 to $2760 less than the Durango over a five-year period.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Dodge Durango isn't recommended.

The Honda Pilot outsold the Dodge Durango by 59% during 2023.

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