Compare the2024 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2024 Kia Telluride

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Telluride doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Grand Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Grand Highlander and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Grand Highlander is safer than the Telluride:

The Grand Highlander’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Telluride runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Telluride.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Highlander’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Grand Highlander’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 71 more horsepower (362 vs. 291) and 138 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Kia Telluride:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Highlander gets better mileage than the Telluride:

Regenerative brakes improve the Grand Highlander Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Telluride doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Grand Highlander higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Telluride (6). This means the Grand Highlander produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Telluride every 15,000 miles.

The Grand Highlander offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Telluride doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Grand Highlander stops shorter than the Telluride:

For better traction, the Grand Highlander has larger tires than the Telluride (255/65R18 vs. 245/60R18).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Highlander’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the Telluride (116.1 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Grand Highlander’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Telluride’s (55% to 45%). This gives the Grand Highlander more stable handling and braking.

The Grand Highlander Platinum AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Telluride SX Prestige 4x4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Grand Highlander Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Grand Highlander’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Telluride’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Grand Highlander Platinum AWD is quieter than the Telluride SX 4x4:

The Grand Highlander has .6 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more third row legroom, 2 inches more third row hip room and 2.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Telluride.

The Grand Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Telluride.

The Grand Highlander has a higher maximum payload capacity than the Telluride (1710 vs. 1664 lbs.).

If the windows are left open on the Grand Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Telluride can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Grand Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Grand Highlander has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Telluride S/EX/SX offers wireless charging.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its October 2023 issue and they ranked the Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum AWD higher than the Kia Telluride SX Prestige 4x4.