2016 Honda Pilot vs 2016 Kia Sorento
Two midsize SUVs, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2016 Honda
Pilot
5/10
The 2016 Pilot is a spacious, comfortable 8-seater with a first-year gremlin problem: get the 6-speed non-VCM trims and it's a bargain; get the Touring/Elite and you're gambling.
VS
2016 Kia
Sorento
5/10
The 3.3L V6 SXL is a genuine hidden-gem family hauler; the 2.4 GDI and 2.0T are engine-grenade lottery tickets you don't want to play.
Dead heat: both score 5/10. The tiebreaker is which specific car you find.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Honda Pilot |
Kia Sorento |
| Known failure points | 7 | 7 |
| NHTSA complaints | 1680 | 1241 |
| Safety recalls | 8 | 8 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 58 | 55 |
| Cheap to own | 55 | 55 |
| Fun factor | 40 | 40 |
| Holds value | 70 | 45 |
| Enthusiast cred | 25 | 20 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2016 Honda Pilot
VCM-related piston ring wear / excessive oil consumption / spark plug fouling on rear bank cylinders
$150–$6,00060k–100k mi
2016 Kia Sorento
Theta II 2.4/2.0T connecting rod bearing failure — sudden seizure, no warning lights (subject of KSDS recall)
$0–$9,00040k–100k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2016 Honda Pilot
2016 Honda Pilot EX-L with the 6-speed automatic, FWD (or AWD if you actually need it), in a boring color with full Honda service records. This trim gets you leather, sunroof, power tailgate, and heated seats without inheriting the 9-speed or Elite-only headaches.
✅ 2016 Kia Sorento
2016 Sorento SXL V6 AWD, one owner, service records showing 5k oil changes, all recalls closed (especially KSDS, shift cable, and tow-hitch fire), under 100k miles, with the 5-seat configuration for better cargo. Bonus points for the panoramic roof + Nappa combo.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
Run my free report →
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.