Compared: 2024 Kia Telluride vs. 2024 Honda Pilot
Kia's flagship SUV tackles Honda's venerable three-row Pilot.
Kia | Honda
QuickTakes:
If you're in the market for a new three-row SUV, there's a growing, diverse selection, each with its strengths and weaknesses. For example, the 2024 Honda Pilot features ample cargo room but isn't as affordable as its rival, the 2024 Kia Telluride.
Kia
The Kia Boasts a Lower Starting Price
Despite Honda's reputation for value, the Telluride is slightly more frugal. It starts around $38,000, while the base Pilot is about $39,000. If you're looking for luxury, however, the two respective ranges can leap from that starting manufacturer's suggested retail price to the $55,000 Telluride SX Prestige X-Pro and the $54,000 Pilot Elite. Also worth mentioning are their rugged, off-road-focused tiers: the Telluride EX X-Line, starting at $47,000, and the TrailSport Pilot for about $50,000.
Honda
Both vehicles use V6 engines with minimal differences in power and, in their most basic forms, feature a front-wheel-drive (FWD) platform. If you need more capability, Kia offers a $2,000 all-wheel-drive (AWD) upgrade, and Honda's AWD package is also $2,000.
Kia
Towing Capacity and Ground Clearance Set the Telluride Apart
The Telluride has the most go-anywhere spirit of any vehicle in Kia's lineup with an available 5,500-pound towing capacity. The Honda nearly matches that with a towing maximum of 5,000 pounds.
A greater standard ride height, ranging from 8.0 to 8.4 inches depending on trim, gives the Telluride more ground clearance than the Pilot, which can sit anywhere from 7.3 to 8.3 inches.
Honda
The Telluride is full of lush interior touches. Every trim comes standard with SynTex synthetic leather upholstery, while the entry-level Pilot gets cloth seats. The Telluride boasts the larger optional center touchscreen, measuring 12.3 inches, versus the Honda's available 9.0-inch infotainment upgrade.
Both SUVs are ready for adventure — or grocery store runs — with an equal 87 cubic-feet of cargo space. The Pilot's TrailSport trim is exceptionally well equipped, with metal skid plates as standard, a feature Kia only offers as a $350 option.
Kia
The Telluride and Pilot Share Similar Fuel Economy
Thanks to those V6 powerplants, there's less to report about fuel economy. When equipped with FWD, both vehicles achieve an EPA-estimated average of 22 mpg.
Honda
How they get there is a bit different, though, with the Honda achieving 19/27/22 mpg city/highway/combined, while the Kia is estimated at 20/26/22 mpg.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
