Compare the2024 Dodge DurangoVS 2025 Honda Pilot

The Durango has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Pilot doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Durango and the Pilot have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and front and rear parking sensors.

There are over 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Durango’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Durango’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Pilot’s camshafts. If the Pilot’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Durango has a standard 850-amp battery (700 V8). The Pilot’s 650-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 50 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 18th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

The Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 8 more horsepower (293 vs. 285) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Durango’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 10 more horsepower (295 vs. 285) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Durango’s optional 5.7 V8 produces 75 more horsepower (360 vs. 285) and 128 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 262) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Durango V8 is faster than the Honda Pilot:

On the EPA test cycle the Durango 3.6 DOHC V6 4x4 gets better fuel mileage than the Pilot TrailSport 4WD (18 city/25 hwy vs. 18 city/23 hwy).

The Durango has 6.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pilot (24.6 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the Durango R/T Tow N Go’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Pilot:

The Durango’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Pilot are solid, not vented.

The Durango stops shorter than the Pilot:

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the Pilot (265/60R18 vs. 255/50R20). The Durango R/T Tow N Go’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Pilot (295/45R20 vs. 265/60R18).

The Durango R/T Tow N Go’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pilot Sport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s 50 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Durango can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Pilot doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Durango has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Durango offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Durango offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Pilot doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Durango has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Pilot doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 6 inches longer than on the Pilot (119.8 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The Durango’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Pilot’s (55.3% to 44.7%). This gives the Durango more stable handling and braking.

The Durango R/T 4x4 handles at .80 G’s, while the Pilot Elite pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Durango R/T 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Pilot TrailSport (27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Durango has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pilot (8.1 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Durango GT 4x4 is quieter than the Pilot Elite:

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Durango easier. The Durango’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.4 inches, while the Pilot’s liftover is 33.2 inches.

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pilot’s (6200 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Honda Pilot 4WD is only 5000 pounds. The Durango 4x4 offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Durango V8 4WD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Pilot can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Durango uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pilot uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the Durango is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pilot. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The Durango’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Pilot does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Durango’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Pilot’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Durango’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition.

The Durango has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Pilot TrailSport/Elite/Black Edition.