2026 Honda Pilot vs. 2027 Kia Telluride: Family Favorites Go Head-to-Head

• Kia's second-generation Telluride is on the way with two new powertrains, including its first hybrid option.
• Honda's Pilot is a classic by comparison but age has its advantages.
• Can you see parking one of these family-friendly three-rows in your driveway? 

Power and fuel economy

Kia offers two powertrains in the new Telluride: a turbocharged four-cylinder with or without a hybrid assist. The gas-electric model has the highest output of the two and handily beats the Pilot's naturally aspirated V6. The Telluride Hybrid we recently tested did 0-60 mph in 7 seconds flat, and acceleration feels plenty strong enough for this big three-row SUV.

The Pilot has always been powered by a 3.5-liter V6, and the one in the 2026 model is latest evolution of Honda's six-cylinder. In Edmunds' testing, the Pilot needed 7.8 seconds to reach 60 mph, so don't expect either of these to win you over with blistering acceleration. With 10 gears, its transmission stays busy shifting, which can make it feel very sensitive to even small accelerator-pedal inputs. Both Honda and Kia offer a choice of front- and all-wheel drive on their three-row utilities.

The Honda V6 manages to be relatively efficient compared to others in the segment. On Edmunds' real-world test route, the least efficient Pilot (the TrailSport trim) averaged 22 mpg, a small improvement over its EPA figure. Kia says the new Telluride Hybrid will get a max of 35 mpg combined for the base front-wheel-drive LX model and dip down to 31 mpg in loaded-up all-wheel-drive models. 

Interior

Headroom is slightly better in the Telluride than in the Pilot, depending on whether you get one with a sunroof, and which sunroof. Legroom is a fair fight in the first row, with Kia winning in row two and Honda having just a slight edge in row three. No matter which seats are being used, the Telluride offers more cargo space. The biggest difference is with the third row in place, often a weak point for three-row SUVs.

Aside from the seven-seat TrailSport model, all Pilots offer seating for eight. Kia offers a choice between seven and eight spots on some of its trim levels. Both manufacturers include standard trip-zone automatic climate control. Honda goes a bit old-school (which we appreciate), including easy-to-adjust knobs for the HVAC system.

The Telluride keeps some physical HVAC controls, but they're wide rockers that will likely require a longer glance to grab for. It's a small thing, but Kia puts the shifter on a steering-column stalk, whereas Honda's less-than-intuitive shift buttons sit on the console; the placement gives the Telluride an advantage, opening up more space on the center console. Kia also fits a pair of wireless phone chargers there, whereas the Honda is limited to just one.

Technology and safety equipment

Both the Pilot and Telluride are available with a pair of front-row screens — one for the driver's gauges and a touchscreen beside it to control the infotainment system. Digital gauges are standard on the Pilot but only offered on upper Telluride trims. Honda again strays toward classic design here, mounting its gauge display under a shroud, separate from the center screen, whereas Kia's dual-screen setup places them side by side in a single plane. The lack of a shroud may mean glare on the Kia's driver display.

Just about every driver aid comes standard on both of these three-rows, except for a hands-free highway driving mode. Kia offers more advanced versions of its forward collision avoidance tech and blind-spot cameras on higher trims. Both the Honda and Kia add surround-view camera systems and head-up displays on their more expensive models.

Trims and pricing

The 2027 Telluride will be available in 10 gas and five hybrid trims. Pricing starts at $40,735 for a gas-only LX model and range up to $58,335 for the top-spec X-Pro SX Prestige; that model is also the most off-road-ready of the lineup, with increased ground clearance and more aggressive tires among other upgrades. The Telluride Hybrid starts with a higher trim at its base and a higher price of entry. The base EX with front-wheel drive is $48,035 (all-wheel drive is a $2,000 extra), and the top-spec X-Line SX Prestige model is $59,135 and has AWD as standard.

The Pilot is sold in a more mentally manageable seven trim levels, the Sport being the least expensive with a base price of $43,690. The TrailSport, Honda's off-road-ish trim, runs from $51,890, while the range tops out at $56,490 for the Black Edition. (It comes in other colors, too.)

By virtue of its wider array of trim levels, the Kia hits a wider swath of price points, offering buyers more choice so hopefully they can get the features they want without any they don't need. And in usual Kia fashion, you get a lot for your money in terms of features, not to mention the extra cargo space. The Pilot is held back by higher entry pricing, while both have somewhat tight third rows. 

The Kia is also newer, and that hybrid might sway things in its favor, especially with gas prices so high at the moment.