Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Shopping for a used three-row SUV from 2020 means choosing between two of the segment's heavyweights. Both the Telluride and the Pilot seat up to eight, run on proven V6 engines, and earned heaps of praise when they were new. But reliability is where the rubber meets the road for used buyers, and these two SUVs tell surprisingly different stories once you dig into owner complaints, recall histories, and long-term repair data. Here is how they stack up when dependability is the only thing that matters.2020 Kia TellurideKiaHow the reliability scores compareOn paper, the Telluride comes out ahead. It earned a predicted reliability score of 82 out of 100 from one major automotive research firm, placing it in the "Great" tier for the 2020 model year. One independent repair database gives the broader Kia brand a 4.0 out of 5.0 rating, and projected five-year ownership costs for the 2020 Telluride land around $30,030, or roughly $6,006 per year. For a first-year vehicle on an entirely new platform, those are encouraging numbers.2020 Honda PilotHondaBy contrast, the Pilot scored a predicted reliability rating of 78 out of 100, squarely in "Average" territory. One repair tracking site ranks it 13th out of 26 midsize SUVs with a 3.5 out of 5.0 reliability score, despite Honda as a brand sitting at 4.0 out of 5.0 across all its models. Ironically, the Pilot was deep into its third generation by 2020, riding a platform that debuted in 2016. A mature design should mean fewer surprises, yet the numbers suggest otherwise.Recalls and common complaintsSix NHTSA recalls have hit the 2020 Telluride, and several are worth paying attention to. One addresses front power seat motors that can overheat and potentially cause a fire, prompting Kia to advise owners to park outside until the repair is completed. Headlight malfunctions, particularly with the mechanical high beam shield, became one of the most frequent owner gripes, with exterior lighting alone generating roughly 170 complaints. Electrical gremlins, windshield cracking, and occasional engine stalling round out the list of common frustrations. Owner complaint totals across various databases land somewhere between 667 and 872, which is on the high side for a single model year.2020 Kia TellurideAutoblogOver at the Pilot's camp, things look worse on the recall front. Nine NHTSA recalls have been issued for the 2020 model, including a fuel pump failure that can stall the engine while driving and a front passenger seat weight sensor that may prevent the airbag from deploying correctly. Owners have also reported rough shifting between second and third gear (particularly on the nine-speed automatic found in Touring and higher trims), intermittent infotainment freezes, and a stop-start system that occasionally refuses to restart the engine at intersections. One major subscriber survey rated the 2020 Pilot as less reliable than other vehicles from the same model year, a disappointing result for a nameplate built on Honda's dependability reputation.2020 Honda PilotHondaAdvertisementAdvertisementLong-term durability and repair costsLiving with a Telluride over the long haul has proven mostly positive for owners who dodged the early headlight and electrical issues. Average annual repair costs for the Kia brand sit below the industry average, and the Telluride's 3.8-liter V6 and eight-speed automatic both trace their roots to earlier Kia and Hyundai applications, giving them more real-world mileage than the "first model year" label might suggest. With proper maintenance, multiple reliability outlets suggest the Telluride can push past 200,000 miles without catastrophic failure, though budgeting for an extended warranty remains smart advice for any 2020 unit.2020 Kia TellurideKiaAnnual repair costs for the Pilot average about $542, which falls below the $573 midsize SUV average and well under the $652 all-vehicle average. That said, the frequency of shop visits trends higher than normal for the class, even if the severity of individual repairs stays moderate. Transmission concerns have dogged the third-generation Pilot across multiple model years, and the 2020 is no exception. Owners of nine-speed-equipped models report the most shifting complaints, while the six-speed automatic in lower trims has been considerably more dependable. If you are shopping for a used Pilot and reliability is the priority, targeting an LX, EX, or EX-L with the six-speed is the safer play.2020 Honda PilotHondaWarranty coverageFew advantages in the midsize SUV class are as clear-cut as warranty coverage, and Kia wins this one in a landslide. Every 2020 Telluride left the factory with a five-year, 60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. For a used buyer picking one up in 2026, that powertrain coverage could still have years of life left on it, depending on mileage. It is a genuinely meaningful safety net that no other non-luxury brand in the segment can match.2020 Kia TellurideAutoblogOn the other side of the aisle, standard coverage is far more modest: three years and 36,000 miles for the basic warranty, five years and 60,000 miles for the powertrain. On a 2020 model, both of those windows have almost certainly closed. That leaves used Pilot buyers relying on Honda's reputation and, potentially, a third-party extended warranty to cover major repairs. Certified pre-owned programs from Honda are solid, but they still cannot compete with the sheer duration of what Kia offers from the factory.2020 Honda PilotHondaAdvertisementAdvertisementThe bottom lineNeither the 2020 Telluride nor the 2020 Pilot is a reliability disaster, but the Telluride holds an edge. It posts a higher predicted reliability score, has fewer recalls, and comes with a powertrain warranty that may still be active years after purchase. Its first-model-year status did produce some early headlight and electrical quirks, but those issues are well documented and often repairable under warranty or recall. But that doesn't mean that picking the Pilot is a bad decision, especially if you find a lower-trim model with the six-speed automatic and a clean maintenance history.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Car Buying section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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