How the 2025 Kia Sorento Outperforms the 2025 Honda Pilot

The SUV is the most popular vehicle auto class on the market. Since the boom began in the early 2000s, handfuls of automakers have designed scores of such models—so choosing the right one today can seem daunting. At Rusty Wallace Kia of Knoxville, we help our customers choose the SUV that best suits their needs. As the premier Kia dealer near Farragut, we want to provide an experience unlike any other—one that ends with you driving away knowing you’ve made the best choice.

Of all the models in our inventory, the Kia Sorento is one of the most popular choices among Farragut drivers. Many customers ask how the Sorento stacks up against the competition—particularly models from Honda. Kia and Honda are two of the most popular and reliable brands, both with much to offer, and the 2025 Kia Sorento and 2025 Honda Pilot are two frequently sought-after three-row midsize SUVs. So, let’s examine how the Sorento outdoes the Pilot and offers more to Farragut drivers…

Upfront Cost

Like anybody, Farragut residents will consider many elements when choosing an SUV to fulfill their needs. Some drivers consider seating arrangements most important, while others pay more attention to fuel economy, but the first thing anyone notices about any vehicle is its price tag. How much you pay for a vehicle impacts sales tax and monthly insurance premiums.

It’s important that you pay a fair price for what you drive. The 2025 Honda Pilot has a starting MSRP of $39,900, which is slightly higher than average. Kia, whose reputation for putting its customers’ needs first, emphasizes affordability here, as the starting MSRP of the 2025 Sorento is much lower, at $31,990. The price gap between these two SUVs is considerable, and Kia continues to offer drivers a viable means of transportation that costs much less than the competition.

Performance

Now that you have an idea of how much you can expect to pay in upfront costs, it’s essential that we look at another expense that all vehicle owners incur: fuel. The days of gas-guzzling SUVs are fading away, and many brands focus on designing their fleets to be fuel-efficient while providing adequate performance.

The Honda Pilot is something of a niche SUV, with all models being equipped with a sole powertrain. All versions of the Pilot come with a large 3.5L V6 that pairs with a ten-speed automatic transmission. The Pilot’s performance is favorable for off-roading and towing but is far less economical than most of its competitors. The EPA estimates that the Pilot will provide drivers with 19 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway for a combined average of 22 MPG. To give you an idea of how much you’ll be paying in fuel costs, the EPA estimates a total of $2,250 over the course of five years when compared to other vehicles in its class.

While the Honda Pilot is saddled with a single powertrain that isn’t particularly adept at keeping fuel consumption low, the opposite is true for the Sorento. Kia offers its midsize SUV with four distinct powertrain options, which offer far superior fuel economy to the Honda Pilot. Gas-powered versions of the Sorento are equipped with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine that pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. EPA estimates for this powertrain are 23 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway for a combined average of 26 MPG.

The Sorento also can travel 460 miles on a full tank as opposed to the 407 miles offered by the Pilot. There’s a second gas-powered engine in a turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder whose output rivals Honda’s V6, but for Farragut drivers looking to maximize their fuel savings, the hybrid powertrain of the Sorento surpasses the Pilot in efficiency even further. The EPA estimates that a Sorento Hybrid achieves 36 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway, for a combined average of 36 MPG; it can travel 637 miles on a full tank and help drivers save $1,750 in fuel costs over five years. Alternatively, you can get a Sorento PHEV whose electric boost gets it 79 MPGe in all-wheel drive.

Honda’s decision to saddle the Pilot with one thirsty powertrain option is ultimately its Achilles’ heel. Not all drivers need a beefy V6 engine, and its lackluster fuel economy won’t appeal to drivers who enjoy going farther for less. The Kia Sorento’s multiple powertrain options that deliver exceptional fuel economy make this model a much more practical and economical choice for the average consumer.

Connectivity

The modern driver looks for more than price and fuel efficiency with their vehicles. Access to the apps and technologies we use daily is crucial, and both the Honda Pilot and Kia Sorento have various means of keeping you connected. With the exception of the base trim, all versions of the Honda Pilot come equipped with a nine-inch infotainment screen that offers compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Some of the more refined infotainment items are limited to the upper trims, such as Wi-Fi hotspot capability and built-in navigation.

The Kia Sorento is far more generous with its tech, and all versions come with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that includes built-in navigation on all but the base trim. Kia’s infotainment setup receives over-the-air updates and includes wireless compatibility with Apple and Android products. More trims of the Sorento have access to a Wi-Fi hotspot and multiple charging ports across all rows of seating. The Sorento costs less than the Honda Pilot and includes more standard infotainment features across its trims. With its wireless connectivity and over-the-air updates, the Sorento’s larger infotainment screen is certainly more user-friendly!

Safety Features

When choosing the ideal SUV, nothing will ever compare to the confidence that you’re safe behind the wheel. Honda and Kia have reputations for building vehicles to be structurally sound, supported by multiple cutting-edge features that provide protection and oversight. The Kia Sorento and Honda Pilot offer many such features standard, such as automatic emergency braking and potential collision alerts, which are imperative to preserving reaction time. Both models also offer adaptive cruise control, one of the most sought-after features on the market, but Kia’s is far superior to Honda’s version.

Honda offers an adaptive cruise control that includes low-speed following technology. Kia offers three unique renditions of adaptive cruise control, with the first trim receiving stop-and-go technology and other trims having a navigation-based system that can assist drivers in taking curves more safely. Finally, Kia offers an adaptive cruise control with automated machine learning that implements the driver’s habits into its programming. Both the Pilot and Sorento offer more standard safety features than other brands, but Kia’s more advanced adaptive cruise control certainly edges out Honda’s sole offering.

Farragut Residents, Come Test-Drive the 2025 Sorento

The 2025 Kia Sorento simply offers more than the 2025 Honda Pilot. Thanks to powertrains that focus on fuel efficiency, a far more advanced intuitive infotainment system, and a lower upfront cost, Farragut residents who need an SUV that checks all the boxes have finally found one in the Sorento. Visit Rusty Wallace Kia of Knoxville today to experience the prestige of the 2025 Sorento up close and personal with a test drive.