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Head-to-head

2025 Kia Telluride vs 2025 Toyota Highlander

The Kia Telluride wins clearly, 93.1 to 86.8, on tech & comfort, price, performance. The Toyota Highlander is ahead on fuel & range and safety.

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2025 Kia Telluride

The 2025 Kia Telluride is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Telluride FWD, is EPA-rated at 22…

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2025 Toyota Highlander

The 2025 Toyota Highlander is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Highlander Hybrid …

Verdict · default weights

2025 Kia Telluride

Clear win

The Kia Telluride wins clearly, 93.1 to 86.8, on tech & comfort, price, performance. The Toyota Highlander is ahead on fuel & range and safety.

Tech & comfort 2025 Kia Telluride leads by 44.3
Fuel & range 2025 Toyota Highlander leads by 11.7
Price 2025 Kia Telluride leads by 7.9
Category · weight2025 Kia Tellurideoverall 93.12025 Toyota Highlanderoverall 86.8
Pricew 410092.1
Fuel & rangew 388.3100
Safetyw 480.786.7
Space & cargow 29897.2
Performancew 296.193.2
Tech & comfortw 310055.7
Warrantynot comparedNo dataNo data
Overall93.186.8

Trim vs trim · 6 of 7 categories compared

Kia Telluride: base trim LX FWD · Toyota Highlander: base trim LE FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.

Change what matters to you →Scores are 0–100 per category from the data on this page. The weights are yours to set.

Where the gap is

the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbers

Where the 2025 Kia Telluride wins

  • It lists 37 standard driver-assist features against 23.
  • It lists more comfort and tech equipment (48.5 points against 27 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
  • It starts $3,130 lower ($36,390 against $39,520 base MSRP).

Where the 2025 Toyota Highlander answers

  • It has drawn fewer owner complaints (11 against 124 filed with NHTSA).
  • It is rated 25 combined against 22 (EPA mpg or MPGe).

What they share

  • 5 NHTSA stars.
  • 8 seats.

Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.

Specifications side by side

55 specs · manufacturer press kits
SpecKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Pricing
Base MSRP (excludes destination)$36,390$39,520
Engine Basics
Aspirationnaturally aspiratedtwin turbo
Cylinder count64
Engine displacement3,778 cc2,393 cc
Engine type (full description)3.8L V6 Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) Lambda-II2.4-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged DOHC
Fuel injection systemgdi mpiD-4S
Valve configurationDOHCDOHC 16-Valve
Engine Output
Horsepower291 hp265 hp
Torque262 lb-ft310 lb-ft
Fuel Economy
MPG (city)20 mpg22 mpg
MPG (combined)22 mpg25 mpg
MPG (highway)26 mpg29 mpg
Transmission
Final drive ratio3.510:13.329
Transmission speeds88
Transmission typeautomatic hybridautomatic
Dimensions Exterior
Ground clearance8 in8 in
Overall height68.9 in68.1 in
Overall length197 in195 in
Overall width78.3 in76 in
Wheelbase114 in112 in
Cargo
Cargo volume behind 1st row87 cu-ft84.3 cu-ft
Cargo volume behind 2nd row46 cu-ft48.4 cu-ft
Cargo volume behind 3rd row21 cu-ft16 cu-ft
Total interior volume178 cu-ft142 cu-ft
Seating
Passenger seating capacity88
Headroom
Front headroom40.9 in41.2 in
Second-row headroom40.2 in39.4 in
Third-row headroom38.1 in36.1 in
Legroom
Front legroom41.4 in42 in
Second-row legroom42.4 in38.7 in
Third-row legroom31.4 in28 in
Weights
Curb weight (maximum)4,248 lbs4,155 lbs
Curb weight (minimum)4,134 lbs4,155 lbs
Gross vehicle weight rating5,776 lbs5,870 lbs
Suspension
Front suspension typeIndependent, MacPherson struts, coil springs, stabilizer barIndependent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar; trailing-wishbone
Rear suspension typeIndependent, Multi-link, stabilizer barMulti-link with stabilizer bar
Steering
Steering typeColumn Mounted-Motor Driven Power Steering (C-MDPS)Electric Power Steering (EPS); power-assisted rack-and-pinion
Turning radius (curb-to-curb)19.4 ft18.7 ft
Brakes
Front brake diameter340 mm338 mm
Front brake typeVented discventilated disc
Parking brake typeepbepb
Rear brake diameter305 mm338 mm
Rear brake typesolid discsolid disc
Wheels
Wheel diameter18 in18 in
Wheel materialforged alloyalloy
Wheel width7.5 in—
Tires
Tire sizeP245/60 R18P235/65R18
Fuel System
Fuel tank capacity18.8 gal17.9 gal
Minimum recommended octane8787
Connected Services
Connected services brand—Toyota Safety Connect / Drive Connect / Remote Connect / Service Connect / Wi-Fi Connect
Connected services trial (premium tier)—12 months
Connected services trial (standard tier)—120 months
Shoulder Room
Front shoulder room61.6 in59 in
Second-row shoulder room61.2 in58.7 in
Third-row shoulder room55.3 in55 in

Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.

Equipment, feature by feature

167 features · differences first, then shared

Safety32 differ · 46 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Forward Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (FCA) std—
Forward Collision Avoidance - Junction Turning (FCA-JT) std—
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) std—
Dual front advanced airbags std—
Highway Driving Assist (HDA 1.5) std—
Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control-Curve - NSCC-C std—
Downhill Brake Control (DBC) std—
Driver Attention Warning (DAW) std—

Infotainment12 differ · 13 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Steering wheel-mounted Bluetooth Hands-free with Voice activation controls std—
12.3-inch audio display unit with navigation, MAP OTA, Quiet Mode, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Radio, SIRIUS XM, Voice Recognition, Bluetooth (with Multi-Bluetooth function), Rear View Camera and TMU std—
6 speakers including 2 tweeter speakers std—
6-speaker audio system— std
8.0-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia with wireless Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™ compatibility, SiriusXM® with 3-month trial subscription— std
Drive Connect — includes Cloud Navigation with Google Points of Interest (POI) data, Intelligent Assistant with Hey, Toyota, and Destination Assist— std
Remote Connect — remotely interact with your vehicle through the Toyota app via your smartwatch— std
Safety Connect® — includes Emergency Assistance button, enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification and Stolen Vehicle Locator— std

Convenience9 differ · 10 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Remote Engine Start button on Key Fob std—
Five USB ports (one USB-A media port and four USB-C charging ports) and two 12V outlets— std
Height-adjustable power liftgate with jam protection— std
Power door locks with shift-linked automatic lock/unlock feature— std
Power windows with auto up/down in all positions and jam protection— std
Manual liftgate std—
Driver and Passenger's central door lock std—
Power outlets (x3) std—

Climate5 differ · 5 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Three-zone automatic climate control with air filter, separate second-row control panel, individual temperature settings for driver, front passenger and rear-seat passengers, and second- and third-row vents— std
Rear ducts - Ceiling Mounted with Diffuse Vents (2nd and 3rd row) std—
Dual zone automatic temperature control std—
Rear automatic temperature control std—
Auto Window Defogger std—

Seating9 differ · 9 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
2nd-row 60/40 split-folding bench seats std—
Fabric-trimmed front- and second-row seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat; 4-way manual-adjustable front passenger seat— std
SynTex (Synthetic Leather) seating trim std—
1-touch slide and fold for 3rd row Ingress/Egress std—
2nd-row one-touch slide and fold std—
2nd-row remote folding buttons (in cargo area) std—
8-passenger seating with 60/40 split, sliding and reclining fold-flat second-row bench seats; 60/40 split, fold-flat third-row seats with sliding headrests and recline function— std
Fabric-trimmed front- and second-row seats; 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat; 4-way manual-adjustable front passenger seat— std

Interior33 differ · 35 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
4.2-inch color TFT-LCD full segment meter cluster std—
14 cup/bottle holders— std
2nd row lamp std—
7-in. color LCD Multi-Information Display (MID) with odometer, trip/average fuel economy, cruising range, average speed, AWD torque distribution (AWD models only), cruise control guide, audio details, hands-free incoming call notices, telephone information— std
Black interior door handles— std
Cargo lamp std—
Chrome interior door handles std—
Digital clock— std

Exterior36 differ · 41 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
18-in. painted alloy wheels and P235/65R18 tires— std
18-inch alloy wheels with silver finish std—
Acoustic Front Windshield std—
Black front bumper side air duct garnish std—
Black insert with satin chrome surround trim (a-type design) radiator grille std—
Black wheel arch and side sill lower molding std—
Black-painted front grille with silver-painted surround— std
Body-color outside door handles std—

Powertrain2 differ · 3 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
AWD Modes: AWD Lock and Snow modesopt—
Drive Mode Select (DMS): Comfort / Eco / Sport and Smart modes std—
Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) std std

Chassis3 differ · 3 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Column Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (C-MDPS) std—
McPherson struts and stabilizer bar front suspension std—
Multi-link independent and stabilizer bar rear suspension std—

Cargo2 differ · 2 listed

FeatureKia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Towing Hitchopt—
2-way luggage board std—

Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.

Safety record

NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAP

Kia Telluride

Safety Signal 79 C
NHTSA overall ★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover ★★★★☆ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★☆
Recalls 3
Owner complaints 124 · 3 crashes · 2 fires
Most complained about Engine (50), Visibility/Wiper (22), Unspecified (22)

Top recalls

  • high Seats 26V105000 · 85,515 vehicles
  • high Tires 25V745000 · 45 vehicles
  • high Structure 25V494000 · 201,149 vehicles

Toyota Highlander

Safety Signal 77 C
NHTSA overall ★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover ★★★★☆ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★☆
Recalls 4
Owner complaints 11 · 2 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained about Vehicle Speed Control (3), Forward Collision Avoidance (3), Unspecified (2)

Top recalls

  • high Seats 26V128000 · 686,588 vehicles
  • high Seat Belts 25V872000 · 39 vehicles
  • moderate Back Over Prevention 25V744000 · 1,024,407 vehicles
  • moderate Electrical System 25V595000 · 591,377 vehicles

Ownership

EPA, manufacturer warranty
Kia TellurideLX FWDToyota HighlanderLE FWD
Price$36,390 (base trim)$39,520 (base trim)
Price range across trims$36,390 – $53,685 13 trims$39,520 – $53,675 13 trims
PowertrainsGASHEV, GAS
EPA configuration comparedTelluride FWDHighlander
Combined mpg / MPGe2225
EPA annual fuel cost$3,050$2,700
EV range——
Basic warranty—3 yr / 36,000 mi
Powertrain warranty—5 yr / 60,000 mi
Roadside assistance—2 yr

Common questions

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Which is better, the 2025 Kia Telluride or the 2025 Toyota Highlander?

The Kia Telluride wins clearly, 93.1 to 86.8, on tech & comfort, price, performance. The Toyota Highlander is ahead on fuel & range and safety. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2025 Kia Telluride scores 93.1 and the 2025 Toyota Highlander 86.8. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.

Which is cheaper, the 2025 Kia Telluride or the 2025 Toyota Highlander?

The 2025 Kia Telluride starts lower — $36,390 against $39,520, a gap of $3,130 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.

Which has the better safety record, the 2025 Kia Telluride or the 2025 Toyota Highlander?

2025 Kia Telluride: 5 NHTSA stars, grade C, 3 recalls. 2025 Toyota Highlander: 5 NHTSA stars, grade C, 4 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.

What are the biggest differences between the 2025 Kia Telluride and the 2025 Toyota Highlander?

Where the 2025 Kia Telluride wins: it lists 37 standard driver-assist features against 23, lists more comfort and tech equipment (48.5 points against 27 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½), and starts $3,130 lower ($36,390 against $39,520 base MSRP). Where the 2025 Toyota Highlander answers: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (11 against 124 filed with NHTSA) and is rated 25 combined against 22 (EPA mpg or MPGe). What they share: 5 NHTSA stars and 8 seats.