Midsize and three-row SUVs · model years 2020 to 2025
Honda Pilot vs Kia Telluride: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Telluride looks better on 4 and the Pilot on 2, with 1 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2020 to 2025 | Pilot | Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.9% | 2.0% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.3% | 1.7% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 20,000 | 14,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 3.3 | 2.8 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 5 | 1 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Pilot owners complain about most is electrical; for the Telluride it is windshield and wipers. Complaints citing collision avoidance make up 21% of all Pilot complaints, against 4.5% on the Telluride. The Telluride leans the other way on windshield and wipers: 17% of its complaints, against 3.3% for the Pilot.
Honda PilotKia Telluride
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Pilot is infotainment problems (19% of its complaints). On the Telluride it is windshield problems (21% of its complaints), against 2.9% on the Pilot.
| Problem | Pilot | Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 19% 293most in 2020 · 5k mi | 8.0% 159most in 2022 · 9k mi |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 2.9% 458k mi | 21% 409most in 2020 · 5k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 14% 218most in 2020 · 28k mi | 7.3% 146most in 2020 · 58k mi |
| Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out | 9.3% 143most in 2021 · 48k mi | 2.7% 53 |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 8.8% 135most in 2025 · 8k mi | 3.1% 6135k mi |
| Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) | 9.7% 149most in 2021 · 20k mi | 1.3% 26 |
| Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves | 8.2% 126most in 2021 · 19k mi | 1.7% 33 |
| Seat belt or seat problems | 5.4% 83most in 2023 · 38k mi | 4.1% 8234k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Telluride owners report problems earlier. Half the Telluride complaints that give a mileage come before 14,000 miles; for the Pilot the halfway point is 20,000. 78% of Pilot reports and 70% of Telluride reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Honda PilotKia Telluride
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 383 for the Pilot and 513 for the Telluride.
Worst and best years
The 2016 Pilot draws 3.2 times the complaints of a typical Pilot year for its age. The 2020 Telluride draws 1.7 times the complaints of a typical Telluride year for its age.
Honda PilotKia Telluride
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 3.3 campaigns per model year for the Pilot and 2.8 for the Telluride. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Honda Pilot
20 recall campaigns and 5 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), backup camera (2) and tires (2).
- 23V-431 (backup camera) covers 3 model years
- 24V-064 (airbags) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE25017: Inaccurate rear passenger seat belt warning status (open)
- PE25008: Engine failure (open)
- EA25004: No restart after auto start/stop engages (open)
Kia Telluride
17 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (4), seats (3) and airbags (2).
- 24V-214 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 5 model years
- 24V-407 (seats) covers 5 model years
Investigations
- PE23002: Complete loss of high beams (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Pilot complaints report a crash: 2.9%, against 2.0% for the Telluride. Fire reports: 8 for the Pilot and 23 for the Telluride. Complaints on file report 0 deaths in the Pilot and 1 in the Telluride for these model years.
Honda PilotKia Telluride
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Honda Pilot or the Kia Telluride more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Telluride looks better on 4 and the Pilot on 2, with 1 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Pilot has 1,532 complaints and the Telluride 1,987 for model years 2020 to 2025, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Pilot or the Telluride?
The Pilot has 20 recall campaigns and the Telluride 17 across model years 2020 to 2025. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 3.3 campaigns per model year for the Pilot and 2.8 for the Telluride.
What are the most common problems on the Pilot and the Telluride?
The most reported problem on the Pilot is infotainment problems (19% of its complaints). On the Telluride it is windshield problems (21% of its complaints), against 2.9% on the Pilot.
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