Four Ways the Sorento Outshines the Honda Pilot

We love just how many SUVs are available to you these days because it makes it easy for us to help our customers find whatever they need. Just looking at the Kia lineup, you have an incredible selection of great vehicles to choose from. If you have a large or growing family and want a fantastic three-row SUV that you’ll enjoy driving each day, then this is the perfect time to look for a Kia Sorento for sale near Arlington Heights.

When looking at different options for a three-row SUV, you might’ve seen the Pilot getting a lot of attention as Honda gave it a mid-generation update for the 2026 model year. That’s all well and good, but we can’t help but notice four ways that the Sorento gives you more to enjoy…

Way #1 – The Sorento Keeps More Money in Your Pocket

We thought the best way to compare these two vehicles was to start with what’s likely to be the biggest difference for many shoppers: the price. Although the MSRP is not necessarily the only factor people look at, it can certainly have a major influence on decision-making when shopping for a vehicle.

If you have a growing family that needs a three-row SUV for getting around Arlington Heights, then you might be a bit more budget-conscious than before. And even if you’re not too worried about the added expense of a new SUV, we all still want to get the most for our money and not waste anything.

The 2026 Kia Sorento has a starting MSRP of $32,390, while the 2026 Honda Pilot starts at $42,195 MSRP. That’s a huge difference that simply can’t be overlooked. And while the Pilot does have some nice features, like an impressive base engine and a well-appointed interior, none of that truly justifies the massive price jump over the Sorento.

You can pay the same amount for a Sorento and get a higher trim level that gives you an incredible powertrain, gorgeous interior details, and advanced safety features compared to what the Pilot starts with. No matter how you look at it, Kia gives you a lot for your money.

Way #2 – More Engine Options With the Kia Sorento

We just mentioned engines a moment ago, but this is such a significant difference between these two vehicles that we need to dig into it a bit deeper. The 2026 Honda Pilot has a single engine on offer: a 3.5L V6 that provides 285 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, which is very nice performance for a three-row SUV like this.

To be fair, that’s more powerful than the standard engine of the 2026 Kia Sorento: a 2.5L I-4 that offers 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. The major distinction, however, is that Kia gives you three more engines to choose from, while Honda has just the one available.

If you want performance in line with what the Pilot has, then there’s an available 2.5L turbocharged I-4 engine that delivers an impressive 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. You can see that’s nearly the same horsepower and much greater torque than the Pilot has, ensuring you have a great time as you drive around Arlington Heights each day.

Kia keeps going, however, by offering you a hybrid powertrain that provides 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, as well as a plug-in hybrid powertrain that delivers 261 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. So you have three great upgrade options for the Sorento, and its low starting price makes them very accessible.

Way #3 – Make Fewer Stops With the Sorento’s Efficiency

Performance isn’t the only thing that matters when you’re looking at engines, especially for a three-row SUV that’s likely to be your daily driver. You want something that can get you where you need to go around Arlington Heights each day with fewer stops for gas. The four options from Kia make it easy to get exactly that by providing you with excellent choices and great fuel efficiency.

The standard engine in the 2026 Sorento gets an estimated 23 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway with front-wheel drive (FWD). With its only engine, the 2026 Pilot gets an estimated 19 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway with FWD—already not as good as the Sorento.

Moving up to the more powerful turbocharged engine from Kia, we find an estimated 20 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway, which is still better than the Pilot. If you want exceptional gas mileage, then the two hybrid engines from Kia will catch your eye. The traditional hybrid gets an estimated 37 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway, absolutely blowing away the Honda Pilot.

Then there’s the plug-in hybrid option that gets an estimated 33 MPG combined while also offering an estimated 30 miles of all-electric driving range from a full charge. No matter what you need to do, a Kia Sorento will let you take care of business each day and keep you on the road longer.

Way #4 – Enjoy Enhanced Comfort and Tech Features

We looked at the high starting price of the Honda Pilot earlier, and you’d expect that to mean you get excellent interior features that can’t be beat. While they’re good, they’re actually not as luxurious as we expected, given the high price.

Heated front seats are standard in the 2026 Pilot, which is nice, along with a 10-way power driver’s seat and a four-way power front-passenger seat. Moving up to the Elite trim, we find ventilated, leather-trimmed front seats for added comfort.

The standard 12.3-inch infotainment system and 10.2-inch Digital Instrument Cluster are great, along with a standard nine-speaker sound system and an available Bose Premium sound system; extra niceties like a wireless charger are available but not standard.

The 2026 Kia Sorento offers great standard features, including a 12.3-inch infotainment display and a six-speaker sound system. A six-way driver’s seat and four-way front-passenger seat are both standard, which makes sense given its much lower price. But when you start looking at available options, the Sorento quickly catches up and surpasses what Honda offers.

You’ll find a 10-way power driver’s seat and an eight-way power front-passenger seat in most Sorento models, with a 14-way driver’s seat including four-way power lumbar and a two-way power thigh extension on the highest trims. An available 12.3-inch curved instrument display is larger than what we saw in the Pilot, plus you can get a Bose Premium sound system and more terrific features to ensure you enjoy every moment you spend driving around Arlington Heights.

A Remarkable SUV for Arlington Heights Drivers

We would never say the Pilot is a bad three-row SUV, and it’s clear that Honda’s designers and engineers have been hard at work to make this updated model better than ever before. However, those improvements have come with a surprising price tag, and we don’t see how its performance, fuel efficiency, and features possibly deliver on the promise of such a high starting price.

With the Kia Sorento, you get a fantastic vehicle with great starting features and a low price that lets you easily upgrade to higher trims, available engines, and more options so you can get exactly what you want. Plus, all of these options make it easy to focus on what’s most important to you, whether that’s bold power, great gas mileage, or luxury details in the cabin. No matter what you’re looking for, the Sorento is ready to deliver in a way that few other SUVs can.

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