Honda Pilot vs Dodge Durango

The 2026 Dodge Durango, despite its age, maintained a timeless style with its blend of chunky fenders and smooth body panels. While its competitors underwent multiple redesigns, Dodge kept the Durango fresh with minor updates like new wheels, colors, and a 2021 refresh that included grille, lighting, and bumper updates. The Durango's signature wraparound LED taillight remained a standout feature, giving it a distinctive look. The America250 package, introduced at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, added unique interior and exterior touches, enhancing its appeal. Inside, the Durango showed its age with older switch styles and materials, but its analog controls were refreshingly straightforward. Despite its dated interior, the Durango's driving experience was praised for its performance.

The 2026 Honda Pilot received a makeover that enhanced its truck-like appearance with a larger, blockier grille and standard roof rails. The rugged design direction continued from previous years, with minor updates to the rear bumper. Inside, the Pilot retained its spacious and versatile cabin, with notable upgrades like larger infotainment and digital instrument panels. The top trims featured unique diamond quilting and contrasting stitching, adding visual flair. The Pilot's interior was praised for its practicality and material quality, meeting or exceeding class expectations. The 2026 updates didn't drastically change the Pilot's core attributes, maintaining its reputation as a well-designed midsize SUV.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered a range of powerful V8 engines, with the 3.6-liter V6 as the standard option on base trims. However, its 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque struggled to move the 5,000-pound SUV efficiently. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8, available on GT and GT Plus models, delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, significantly boosting towing capacity to 8,700 pounds. Despite its poor fuel efficiency, the Hemi provided a substantial power increase. The SRT Hellcat, with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, offered 710 hp, while the 6.4-liter V8 on the R/T produced 475 hp. The Durango's eight-speed automatic transmission and multiple AWD modes ensured smooth performance, though steering accuracy was lacking. The Hellcat's handling was impressive, with minimal body roll and adaptive dampers standard.

The 2026 Honda Pilot retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Pilot's acceleration was adequate, with responsive performance for highway merging and passing. The V6 engine provided a confident sound, and the brake pedal effort was appropriately soft for a family SUV. Honda revised the steering for improved feedback and stability, addressing previous issues with highway vagueness. The Pilot's driving experience remained consistent, offering confidence in curves without a sporty feel.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered seating for five, six, or seven passengers, with a standard second-row bench seat on most trims. Captain's chairs were optional on GT Plus and GT Premium trims, providing easier access to the third row. The third row was tight by modern standards, reflecting the Durango's older chassis design. Headroom and legroom in the first and second rows were adequate, though seat padding was firm. Cargo space was competitive, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.1 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2026 Honda Pilot's cabin remained spacious and versatile, with a removable second-row center seat for flexibility. The center seat was suitable for smaller passengers, while the outboard positions offered ample legroom. Access to the third row was easy, with adequate space for smaller adults. The Pilot's cargo capacity was impressive, with 22.4 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 112.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. The front seats provided generous storage options, enhancing practicality.

The 2026 Dodge Durango featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 5, offering navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM 360L, and wireless Apple CarPlay. The infotainment system included performance functions on the Hellcat model. However, the Durango lacked semi-automated driving features and rear-seat entertainment. The audio system varied by trim, with a nine-speaker Alpine stereo standard on most trims and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo on the GT Premium.

The 2026 Honda Pilot upgraded to a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel. The system offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with customizable shortcuts on the display. The EX-L trim included a wireless phone charger, though it was temperamental. The Pilot retained unique features like multiple camera angles and the Cabin Talk intercom system, enhancing its tech offerings.

The 2026 Dodge Durango received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but IIHS ratings were unavailable. The Durango's dated body structure affected its crash performance. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitors and parking sensors, with forward automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning available on higher trims. The Durango lacked many modern driver-assist features, resulting in a lower safety rating.

The 2026 Honda Pilot's crash test scores were unavailable, but it was expected to perform well based on the 2025 model's ratings. The Pilot included the Honda Sensing suite of safety features, offering comprehensive driver-assist technologies. The system worked well, though the forward collision warning was sensitive. The Pilot's safety features contributed to its high safety ratings.