2023 Kia Telluride Vs. 2023 Honda Pilot - The Rugged Family SUV Showdown - Redline: Comparison Test 

The Kia Telluride has been the no-brainer choice for a 3-row family SUV for the past 3 years, however today we pit it against the redesigned Honda Pilot! For around $50,000 to spend, which one of these would you choose? Let us know below!

Thanks for the direct comparison of these two vehicles. My wife and I are considering one of these two utilitarian SUVs for our next car to replace my wife's 2015 Acura MDX. Will definitely be looking at the Pilot Elite. Will also consider the Acura MDX and Genesis GV80.

Six fixes for the refresh that Honda ought to do and it will be crushing it: a hybrid component in Honda's V6 engine for better fuel consumption, some better leather interior color options across all trims, a 12" entertainment screen, improved Honda sensing technology, improved sound deadening, and the option to have captain or bench seating in the 2nd row in all trims. Do this, Honda, and you'll be crushing this segment in sales.

My aunt had a 2020 Telluride LX (Base) & in 3 years she put over 100k miles. Never had a issue. She has now upgraded to a 2024 Telluride SX prestige. I have a 2019 Kia Forte EX with 98k miles never had a issue. My Dad Has a 2021 Sorento SX prestige with 80k miles no problems & my mother upgraded to a new Sportage SX from a 2017 Sonata with 227k miles . We are a big Kia/Hyundai Family & never had problems with Kia &/or Hyundai. They have stepped up big time! Take care of your car and be precise with oil changes / maintenance & they will last forever!

Telluride >> Pilot Honda going cheap interior materials relying on their name reputation can go so much. Kia is a clear winner here.

Never did I think the day will come when a Kia will have a better interior than a Honda😮

It would've made more sense to compare the Telluride to the CX-90. You buy those two because they're nice, and come loaded with tech. You buy the Honda Pilot because it works.

Ill take the pilot too!!! Also in 5 years my pilot will be worth way more. That doesn't matter to everyone but it does to me. I have a 2015 Honda Accord EX-L V6 Coupe with an in house Honda made 6 speed automatic and was offered 16k at a dealer. My sisters equivalent Hyundai sonata was offered 6k. Same mileage. You simply cannot compare the two brands quality standards. Especially over the last 65 years! Hyundai kia have been around that long.

Beautiful review. I wish that Honda would make a trail sport package on an elite trim. That would be a great combo and would make for a much more even matchup

Wireless CarPlay/AA isn’t a saving grace dude. You can buy a wireless dongle for every vehicle that has wired CarPlay/AA. It’s a non-factor.

Very comprehensive. Solid. Thank you.

hey guys, my 2024 pilot has 8k on the odometer (KMs) but its mileage sucks... it's consuming 14L per 100 KM... this is the first time I've bought an 8-seater so want to know if the fuel consumption gets better with time? perhaps after the first service? LMK. Thanks.

Kia Telluride hands down. Kia has stepped their game up in several categories and still impresses me

The Honda will last forever idk about the Kia.

Quantity vs. quality. Kia gives you "more" for less. Honda gives you functionality/simplicity. Personally, given the choice between these two, I would choose the Pilot. If I wanted luxury, I would go more for the Acura mdx.

Pilot won, hands down!

The Kia Telluride interior to me screams BMW X7 and that's a compliment and the HONDA I see a bit of styling from Acura (the luxury division) of Honda and that's also a compliment. If you want value go for KIA, if you want reliability go for HONDA; that's a fair point for both of these brands.

I like both the Kia and the Honda but I would go with the grand highlander

Honda for long term ownership

Very Nice Bro!-Get Good People!

The pilot's interior can give u depression attacks !!

I just purchased the Honda pilot trailsport , I tested both. Love the Honda. Much better ride and more space inside. Runs better.

Honda is just better in general ur gonna get reliability and good quality Kia and Hyundai catch on FIRE be were Kia/Hyundai owners

As far a long term reliability it’s the Pilot for me

Kia definitely, better interior and looks less minivan like

Kia Telli all the way! 💪🏼

I'll take a 4runner 😁

pass. i'll wait for the EV9

Pilot.

Hondas are humdrum but Kias are unreliable and garbage. Good luck after 3 years

KPop is better than k-cars 😅😅😅

You didn't mention the lumbar massage after 30 min of driving.

Supeiced that the Kia did not caught on fire on u

On the 2024 telluride, they went back to the amber daytime running lights!

Kia has Honda beat on exterior styling and interior design. The new pilot looks like something from a few years ago.

Honda pilot interior hahaha Its like 70's Even toyota 2023 hubrid highlander xLe has analog speedo Toyota and honda bastards are fooling in name of reliabilty card ( which no more will work) Wait few more months both will be sinking without trace ( lot of new cars coming in)

I own a 2005 Honda Pilot 298,000 miles still drives like new such a Wonderful Vehicle I kept it and bought my Wife a 2023 Honda Pilot it’s Proven Long track Record ,best engineered

Hahaha a kia?! That shit will not get u any hos. "Hey baby I drive a kia"

People will tout Honda's reliability when they have significantly slipped every year. Toyota, Lexus and Mazda are currently and have remained the most reliable Japanese brands. Honda is nowhere close to them. Oil dilution issues, engine problems, gearbox issues, you name it but people will blindly praise Honda for being Japanese. The previous gen Pilot had average or below average with many issues depending on model year. This new Pilot has a new engine so reliability is not something you can just determine. The Telluride has high customer satisfaction with decent reliability due to the V6 and 8 speed. It's an amazing car, and the class leader since 2019 for a reason. The new Pilot didn't do enough to catch up with the Telluride. The CX-90 has compromised on practicality and has an all new engine with a poor gearbox. The Grand Highlander is the only vehicle worth considering with the Telluride and Palisade, but still lacks some of the extra features and luxury, though it at least has a hybrid engine as a big pro. With rumors of a brand new Palisade and Telluride in 2025 with a hybrid engine option, I think the Koreans will further their lead in this segment. It is absolutely insane to think both those cars debuted in 2019 as a first effort, and took over the market by a storm, while being ahead of their time. 4 years later, and they're still sought after and holding their own against brand new competitors. Their reliability has also improved with their new engines. Hyundai and Kia are making amazing cars, and here's hoping their reliability holds up.

KIA goes all out in terms of exterior and interior design and value for the money. Honda just does what it has always done but is it enough anymore? Is this the best Honda can do? I don't think so....and I think many would agree this current Pilot could be so much more than it is.

It doesn't matter how "nice" the kia is.. compairing it to a Honda is just sad... The Honda will hold its value and be a reliable vehicle for 20+ years. The kia..well they have gotten better. but they are no Honda

Honda is very cheap and hasn't upgraded their interior for years. They want to nickel and dime you for every little thing. Their interior is so bland and boring. Also very deceptive with their MPG claims. Btw I have a 2022 Honda CRV hybrid.

14:07 looks a gen or two behind!

Easy choice Honda all day I’ll definitely last longer and be more reliable

Wireless Android auto and Apple carplay can be easily achieved by adding a $50 add-on device from Amazon. I am using this device now and seems to work as reliably as a factory built wireless connection on other cars.

Pilot without hesitation. Kia and Hyundai palisade look cheap

Keep up the good work Sofyan. I enjoy the comparison vids & more would be welcomed!

I would choose the Honda. The Pilot is the bigger vehicle, drives better, probably more reliable, better looking in my opinion and slightly more capable off road.

Grand highlander 👑

Regardless KIA or HONDA, Congratulations man for 29 minutes nonstop continously talking ability... good luck

Need a Toyota Grandhighlander comparison

The Telluride has been out for years while the Pilot is all new and they still can't match the Telluride. It's just better.

Biggest thing he forgot is the pilot trailsport has a full size spare. Fantastic feature in a road trip car.

KIA looks premium compared to Honda.

Kia continues to have problems with towing.

Don't be fooled, neither of these cars are true off-road vehicles. The minimum would be Hill Descent. Although not even that is real even when its offered.

Your comparison is wrong, Acura vs Kia and Honda vs Hyundai is the correct orientation.

the honda drives better, period. depends what u prefer in terms of design and content vs driving dynamics

I think I would get the Kia and take the perceived reliability risk! It doesn’t even look like a Kia! It seems very nice! They’ve come a long way. Honda’s vehicles lately are very bland, boring, and full of CVTs!

Kia's warranty period is a no-brainer for me. I don't like the new kia headlights though 😢...if you can see pass that.

I think I would go with a used 22 MDX over either one of these. If I had to pick one, I would go with the Pilot hands down. I own a Honda CRV and Toyota Highlander currently. I'm researching the Grand Highlander but I'm not sold on a 4 cylinder engine for such a large suv. I don't care about turbos. I actually think they shorten the life of the engine. I can't believe a turbo 4 cylinder could tow a 5k boat any distant without damage to the transmission. Not sold on the new Toyota's with all the 4 cylinder engines

The Pilot's interior is a middle finger to consumers and loyal Honda customers. I love a simple interior but the Pilot's lacks effort. Honda can do better, they just chose not to.

Very informative comparison. I own a 2023 Kia Telluride and in mixed city/highway driving, I get almost 22 mpg. Your 18 must be based on mostly city driving. There are some quirky things about the Kia e.g. the engine cutoff when stopped, which you can turn off, but it always resets to on when you restart the vehicle. There are third party devices you can install that remembers you last setting. The lane keeping on the Telluride is kind of jerky. The car will wander to one side, then make a semi-aggressive turn to get back to center. Braking using adaptive cruise control to maintain distance to a car ahead of you can also be somewhat aggressive. The EX models do not have the front obstacle sensors, which is odd. Only the rear sensors for backing up. There are some other mechanical differences between the two (the fuel injection technology on the Honda keeps the lifters clean and hydraulic lifters on the Pilot don't require shimming when resetting the lifter clearances like on the Kia). The Kia engine has a timing chain vs. a timing belt on the Honda.

While Honda has been associated with quality and reliability in the past, they have also always rated at the bottom in terms of attractive design. I don’t think anyone will ever get over the moon patrol former generations of the CR-V. This Pilot is definitely a step in the right direction as well, but that just brings it to a level of not being unattractive. It just needs more creative and modern design cues to excite potential buyers. The Telluride has never failed to be exciting, and only gets better every time they refresh. Same goes for the Pilot interior which is definitely below average for this size SUV. The Telluride interior speaks for itself. It’s difficult to understand why some car companies are resilient to leaving the past behind us.

Probably my favorite Redline video from 2023. Great job with the comparison!

Honda really dropped the ball with the interior on the pilot. Not in my consideration set

Actually drive both. You’ll pick the Honda. Unless you enjoy sloppy handling.

The old telluride front end was better. These are not off road cars. Why do they even pretend? You can send that money on actual off road vehicles

Kia Telluride all the way!…

Korean vs Japanese ??? 🤔 It's a no brainer. 🤣

Just got the Trailsport and love it. It drives great at freeway speeds and is more capable off road. Check out RU-vid off road tests. They say it's the best performing crossover off-road. So if you want cushy comfort, go for the Kia. If you want more rugged looks and off-road performance and a great engine, get the Pilot.

I'll throw the Telli a bone. It does have a much classier interior.

I would probably go with the Kia SX- Prestige. The reliability and build quality have improved significantly over other Kia in the past.

Honda > kia

I think you're maybe misunderstanding the 3rd row buttons and their uses. First you said the Honda didn't have one up top, which it does, then when you showed it a few minutes later, you called it "hidden". On both vehicles, the button on the bottom is for getting into the 3rd row, and the button up top is for letting yourself out of the third row. You're not meant to use it while getting in, therefore it doesn't need to be seen unless you're getting out of the 3rd row. This design has been around since Honda introduced it on the 2016 Pilot, and then Hyundai/Kia just stole the idea.

Make sure park your Kia outside and buy extra fire extinguishers.

I'll take the Kia...

I wish the pilot had the display like the Accord that would have been great. I will go for the Honda Pilot over the Kia.

I have to say something, I’m sorry, I hate to act as the grammar police, but I’m going to now. The term is “more boxy,” or just “boxier,” not “more boxier.” I’ve notice this on other Redline Review videos. Using the word “more” AND “boxIER” is redundant. OK……you can all kick me now.

If I didn't step out of my 2019 Honda Passport EXL to test drive a 2023 Kia Telluride SX prestige, I'd definitely be sold. Except Kia really has no idea what their doing with SUVS when it gives to driving mechanisms. The Sorento looks good but drives so badly. And then the Kia Telluride looks perfect but drives like a 16 wheeler. It feels unreasonably heavy especially when you floor it. My mom's 2003 Toyota Sequioa drives better. Kia has a long way to go before I can feel comfortable driving one everyday.

Both nice vehicles, long term I think the Honda is a better choice, the Kia still has that flavor of the day feeling right now.

Seriously, what is that interior all about in the Pilot? It’s hard to believe Honda thinks that’s acceptable for anything being sold in 2023 should look like that. Let alone a higher end vehicle from their lineup. I know they have cut production costs, but that is ridiculous.

They should fire those morons at Honda for the interior design. I'd waited two years for the new model and that's the best they can do...9 inch display even on the 2024 model year. What was Honda thinking? They see what Kia, Hyundai, Toyota have to offer and still they came out with such a depressing interior space. Does not look premium at all.

Would NOT buy any of the Korean vehicles I don’t trust any company that has to put a 100k mile warranty on a vehicle and I know 5 people that own one and the warranty covers NOTHING.

There's no comparison. The Honda Pilot all day and every day. It's the better-looking car in my opinion. The design is more masculine and cohesive. The KIA Tellurude design never seemed original to me.

I personally like the Palisade

I would go with the Honda Elite vs KIA only because transmission. I don't like the silver button set up on the KIA. looks like the old entertainment center buttons and vcr. But both are better than the 4 cylinder turbo that grand highlander

if you want to keep one of these 2 for 10 years, Honda is the only realistic choice here.

Thanks for the comparison. Does the Honda fix their wireless charger in the pilot? I do have the 2023 passport touring and the wireless does not charge the phone 12 and higher. The charger will goes on and off and back on all the time. It will go like that. Apparently this is a bug that the do have for a while and did not fix. (Dealership confirmation)I am curious to see if the new pilot, they fix this. It can be annoying for that price tag and you have one accessory not working as it should.

Crazy that you didn't spend much time on the differences between the AWD systems - is it that you don't know the difference? Honda's is quite a bit different than what KIA has implemented.

I can't believe that Honda wasn't benchmarking the Telluride when designing the 2023 Pilot, and yet we get the most spartan looking interior I've seen in awhile.

Palisade XRT would have been a fairer comparison…

Kia looks better inside and out. Honda is higher quality and proven over many years and vehicles. Lease the Kia and buy the HONDA.

Who ever thought we'd see the day that Honda would be specking a KIA to chase sales?? The KIA is the winner here.

Pilot interior is a bummer. Vinyl seats and poor styling

Blah blah entertainment screen "tech" options. I want something that is dependable not some Kia trash. Yes, Kia dependability is poor, same can be said of the dealership experience.

Why cant honda and toyota build an interior like koreans do? They would get a better market share if they did that. The pilot int is just too basic.

Pilot all the way. Wireless Airplay and Android auto is much more important than 3 inches of screen, To me, the wireless aspect gives Honda the advantage in the infotainment. Better looking interface as well in the Pilot. The interior in the Kia to me looks outdated and old. Pilot is clear winner in my opinion.

The pilot headlights resemble the Ford explorer headlights especially with the led turn signal up top

Pilot needs another year or two to fine tune its transmission