2027 Kia Telluride Vs. 2026 Honda Pilot: 5 Key Differences

In the same week in November 2025, Kia unveiled the all-new 2027 Telluride and Honda announced the comprehensively updated 2026 Pilot. Both are three-row crossovers, but the Honda is at a more advanced stage in its life cycle. The Pilot outsold the outgoing Telluride by a mere 928 units last year (124,209 to 123,281 units), underlining how close this rivalry is. But has the all-new Telluride distanced itself from its Japanese rival? Here are five differences between them which should help us answer that.

1. Kia Telluride Vs. Honda Pilot Styling: Modern or Conservative?

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There’s nothing wrong with the 2026 Honda Pilot’s appearance—it’s a neat, inoffensively styled crossover, and it now looks a little more aggressive with its new grille. But there’s no hiding the fact that it debuted over three years ago, especially alongside the Kia.

The 2027 Telluride is another example of the Koreans taking a far more daring approach to vehicle design. It’s more polarizing than the Honda, but the blunt front fascia and dramatic vertical daytime running lights are undeniably fresh. 

Inside, the Kia also benefits from a much more modern-looking approach. It looks cleaner and more upscale than the rather conservative Honda, with some Tellurides getting smart Engineered Wood inserts, although both have a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen. 

Related: 2027 Kia Telluride Vs. 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander: 5 Key Differences

2. Only One Has A V6

The Telluride vs Pilot powertrain comparison used to be closer, as both had comparable naturally aspirated V6s. Now, only Honda sticks with its well-known 3.5-liter V6 engine. This mill has been implicated in a recall and eventual lawsuit over a spate of engine failures, but Pilots after 2023 seem to be less affected. Kia has gone in another direction and replaced its previous V6 with a new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Here’s a look at how the two compare in terms of outputs and efficiency.

The Honda is slightly more powerful, but the Kia has a lot more torque, which should make for more effortless passing maneuvers. But, despite its smaller engine, the Telluride is actually less efficient in AWD guise.

On paper, the older Honda is still competitive, but the driving experience may tell a different story once we get behind the wheel of the Kia. Comparing the Kia Telluride vs Honda Pilot in terms of reliability reliability can only be done once the Kia has been on sale for a while.

3. New Telluride Has An Efficient Hybrid

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It’s here where the Kia really pulls ahead of the Honda. There’s still no hybrid Pilot, but Kia will soon introduce a Telluride Hybrid. It adds an electric motor to the 2.5L turbo engine, bringing its output up to 329 hp combined. The hybrid also gets a claimed 35 mpg combined, which equates to a driving range of 600 miles—in the Pilot, don’t expect to get more than 407 miles between fillups.

The Telluride Hybrid should be a lot quicker than the standard model, too, and will likely leave the Pilot eating its dust. 

Related: 2025 Kia Telluride Vs. 2027 Kia Telluride: Side-by-Side Gallery

4. Honda Is Better For Eight Occupants, Kia Better For Five

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First-row comfort is a given in fairly large SUVs like these, but what about passengers relegated to the back rows? Both vehicles are large enough to accommodate up to eight occupants, but there are differences in how they utilize space. The Honda is generally better for a full complement of passengers, but the Kia is better for just five—on paper, anyway.

The Telluride vs Pilot size comparison is very close—the Honda is just a little wider, taller, and longer externally, but the differences are negligible.

There’s more legroom and headroom in the Telluride’s second row, and it’s the only one of the two to offer second-row seat ventilation. The Honda wins the third-row space contest, especially with three passengers back there, as it has quite a bit more shoulder room.

There’s not much to separate them in terms of cargo space, and both SUVs’ back seats can be easily folded flat to accommodate bulkier or longer items.

5. Kia’s Telluride Is More Affordable

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The newer vehicle is often the pricier one, but that’s not the case here. At $39,190, the base Telluride undercuts the cheapest Pilot by $3,005. Both base trims come with tri-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance equipment.

The cheapest Pilot does get a nicer 10.2-inch digital driver’s display in place of the standard Telluride’s more basic 4.2-inch TFT LCD meter display, along with a power liftgate, which the Kia does not. The entry-level Kia has a standard dual wireless phone charger, though, something missing from the Honda. Notably, you can upgrade to the Telluride S at $42,090 (heated seats, a power driver’s seat, a power sunroof, and more), and still come in below the base Pilot.

Here’s a look at complete pricing for both SUVs.

Trim for trim, the Honda Pilot is more expensive. Pricing for the Telluride Hybrid hasn’t been announced yet.

The Kia also has a better warranty, with the basic new-vehicle warranty running for five years/60,000 miles and the powertrain warranty valid for 10 years/100,000 miles. The Pilot’s new-vehicle warranty is for three years/36,000 miles and its powertrain warranty covers just five years/60,000 miles.

Final Thoughts

So, should you go with the proven Honda Pilot or all-new Kia Telluride?

A test drive of the 2027 Kia Telluride will take place soon, but in the meantime, it looks like the Honda Pilot is outclassed on the specification sheet. The Telluride is cheaper and has a more competitive pair of powertrains, including the crucial option of an efficient hybrid. It also looks more upscale, inside and out.

The outgoing Telluride was already a tough foe for the Pilot, so all indications are that the new one will emerge as one of the frontrunners in this segment. However, the Pilot is still a solid crossover that ticks most boxes—it’s just run into a more modern offering in the Kia.