Honda Pilot vs Dodge Durango

The 2026 Dodge Durango, despite its age, maintained a robust and timeless style. While its competitors underwent multiple redesigns, the Durango held its ground with minor updates, such as a refreshed grille, lighting, and bumpers in 2021. Its exterior, with chunky fenders and smooth body panels, continued to exude a tough, no-nonsense attitude, making it a popular choice for police cruisers. Inside, the Durango's interior showed its age with older switch styles and cheaper plastic materials. However, it offered a refreshingly analog experience with logical controls and a large, flush touchscreen. Upper trims featured leather and carbon fibre, albeit of lower quality, but the Durango's driving performance compensated for these shortcomings.

The 2026 Honda Pilot received a makeover, enhancing its truck-like appearance with a larger, blockier grille and utilitarian roof rails. The interior saw upgrades with larger infotainment and digital instrument panels, and top trims featured diamond quilting and contrast stitching for added flair. Despite these changes, the Pilot retained its practical and tastefully designed nature. It offered a spacious and versatile cabin, with a removable second-row centre seat and easy access to the third row. The Pilot's interior materials and construction met or exceeded class expectations, making it a strong contender in the midsize SUV segment.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered a range of powertrains, though the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 was no longer listed on the Dodge Canada website. Most trims were available with a 3.6-litre V6 engine, producing 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, which struggled to move the nearly 5,000-pound vehicle. The optional 5.7-litre Hemi V8 delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, significantly boosting towing capacity and performance. The SRT Hellcat Jailbreak, with a 6.2-litre supercharged V8, generated 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, offering exhilarating performance but poor fuel efficiency. The Durango's eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD system provided smooth operation, though steering accuracy was lacking.

The 2026 Honda Pilot retained its 3.5-litre V6 engine, producing 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Pilot's acceleration was adequate, and it handled highway merging and passing with ease. The revised steering offered improved feedback and stability, addressing previous concerns. While the Pilot didn't feel sporty, it provided confident handling and a comfortable ride, making it a sensible choice for families.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered seating for five to seven passengers, depending on the trim. The third row was tight, reflecting its shared chassis with older models. Cargo space was competitive, with 487 litres behind the third row and up to 2,409 litres with seats folded. The Durango's interior provided good headroom and legroom in the first two rows, though seat padding was firm.

The 2026 Honda Pilot excelled in interior space and versatility, with a removable second-row centre seat and easy access to the third row. The third row offered adequate space for smaller adults, while the second row provided ample legroom and comfort. Cargo capacity was impressive, with up to 635 litres behind the third row and a maximum of 3,219 litres with seats folded. The Pilot's cabin featured thoughtful storage solutions and high-quality materials.

The 2026 Dodge Durango featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 5, offering navigation, SiriusXM, and wireless Apple CarPlay. However, it lacked advanced features like semi-automated driving and rear-seat entertainment. The Hellcat's infotainment system included performance functions like launch control.

The 2026 Honda Pilot upgraded to a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel. The system was user-friendly, with customizable shortcuts and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unique features like multiple camera angles and CabinTalk added convenience, though the wireless phone charger was temperamental.

The 2026 Dodge Durango received a four-star rating from the NHTSA, but its dated body structure limited its crash performance. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring and forward collision warning, but advanced driver-assist features were lacking.

The 2026 Honda Pilot was expected to maintain its five-star NHTSA rating and Top Safety Pick status from the IIHS. It came with the Honda Sensing suite, offering comprehensive safety features like forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The system generally performed well, though the forward collision warning was overly sensitive.