2016 Dodge Durango vs Honda Pilot Comparison

2016 Dodge Durango vs Honda Pilot

Serving Dublin, Columbus, Hilliard, Westerville, Marysville, OH

Despite the current trend towards more compact vehicles, there will always be a demand for large crossover SUVs from those consumers that need cargo space, towing capacity or just the seating capacity to take several kids to school every morning. Luckily, automakers have not left the full-size crossover behind the times. The current models available have plenty of power, large comfortable interiors and modern up-to-date styling. The recurring fixtures on the class’s best-of lists are the 2016 Dodge Durango and the 2016 Honda Pilot. The two cars distinguish themselves through powerful and rugged performance, striking good looks and, of course, plenty of passenger and cargo space. We’ve done a side by side comparison of these two cars to help you choose your next full-size crossover SUV.

Performance

With a big car like a full-size SUV, it is important to have enough power to get you under way even if fully loaded up. The 2016 Pilot and the 2016 Durango both sport powerful engines to get you that towing capacity and acceleration you are looking for. The Pilot comes with a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 with 262 pound-feet of torque. Combined with a six-speed or a nine-speed automatic, this easily gets the car moving and tows up to 5,000 pounds. The Durango is even more impressive. Its base engine is a 3.6-liter V-6 with 290 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque that is a little more powerful than the Honda’s, while the optional 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 delivers an impressive 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. With the V-8, the Durango can tow up to 7,400 pounds. In either configuration, it remains quick and responsive even under heavy load.

Styling

The days of full-size SUVs looking like big boxes on wheels are in the past, though that past may not be so distant for the Pilot, which was redesigned for the 2016 model year. The Durango, on the other hand, sticks with the styling established during its last redesign in 2014. The design philosophy of the two cars couldn’t be more different. The 2016 Pilot borrows many design elements from its smaller siblings including the CR-V and even the Honda Civic such as the sharp angles and an aggressive roofline. This definitely hides the car’s character as an SUV, but it results in a front end that lacks personality and is belied by the large and still somewhat square back end. The Durango, in contrast, takes pride in its SUV roots with a front fascia that could belong on an upscale pickup truck. Instead of blending into the crowd, the Durango stands out from it with bold design elements such as its large Dodge grille and distinctive tail light assemblies, giving it the advantage in this category.

Cargo Capacity

One of the most important questions when shopping for a large SUV is how much it can carry and for both the 2016 Durango and the 2016 Pilot the answer is “a lot”. Both cars can seat seven or eight, depending on configuration and have plenty of room for cargo to spare. Even with all the seats up, the Durango offers 17.2 cubic feet of storage space and the Pilot is close behind with 16.5 cubic feet. Once you bring the seats down, the cars’ storage capacities go up to a cavernous 84.5 cubic feet for the Durango and 83.9 cubic feet for the Honda Pilot. Both cars will easily fit almost anything you may need to transport, though of the two the Durango is slightly more spacious.

If you are looking for a full-size SUV with lots of power, good looks and enormous cargo capacity, there is a clear choice - the Dodge Durango. The 2016 Dodge Durango offers two high-powered engines, modern and distinctive styling and a lot of cargo room. So stop by our Dodge dealership in Dublin, Ohio and give the Durango a test drive so you can see for yourself why it is our clear winner in this matchup.

* EPA estimated MPG may vary by transmission, trim and individual driving behavior.