The 2022 Kia Telluride and 2022 Toyota Highlander are two completely different three-row midsize SUVs, marketed to distinct customers. But they are usually compared to each other as they both fall into the same price range. With the same budget, you can either go for the latest Highlander or the Telluride.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander is a family SUV, so it focuses more on practicality and comfort. It comes with a plethora of configurations that allow it to appeal to a very wide audience and includes a hybrid engine option. Although it is a family SUV, it also comes fitted with different luxury and tech features.
Unlike the Highlander, the 2022 Kia Telluride has its eye on luxury and undeniable value. The SUV is also designed for family use but with way more tech features. From its robust driver assistance features to the rich infotainment system, the luxurious Telluride flawlessly achieves its goal.
Asides from being family SUVs, three-row vehicles, and having similar price ranges, the 2022 Telluride and 2022 Highlander are completely different vehicles. Let’s take a closer look at their differences.
Differences
Engine Power
In terms of engine power, the 2022 Kia Telluride has only one engine choice. This is unlike other three-row SUVs in the market, including the Highlander which has a standard and hybrid engine for you to choose from.
The Telluride is powered by a V-6 engine with an eight-speed transmission, compatible with front- and all-wheel drive. It also gives off 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.
The Highlander’s standard engine is also a V-6 with an eight-speed transmission. But, it is a 3.6-liter engine and you can choose either front- or all-wheel drive. It offers 295 horsepower and an optional hybrid engine. The Highlander Hybrid consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, giving off a total of 243 horsepower. You can also choose between front- and all-wheel drive, and it comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission.
In terms of engine power and diversity, the Highlander has an edge over the Telluride.
Fuel Economy
The 2022 Highlander also offers better fuel economy ratings than the Kia Telluride and its other competitors. With the front-wheel drive, the Highlander standard engine offers 29 mpg, while the Telluride is 26 mpg.
The all-wheel-drive ratings for the Highlander and Telluride on the highway are 27 mpg and 24 mpg, respectively.
You get even better fuel economy when you use the Highlander Hybrid, offering 36 mpg and 35 mpg on the city and highway.
Infotainment and Technology
Although the 2022 Highlander offers better engine and motor power than the 2022 Telluride, it cannot beat the latter in terms of technology and infotainment system.
The Telluride has more features at standard, including a 10.3-inch touchscreen on all vehicles. This is better than Highlander’s 8.0-inch touchscreen. The 2022 Telluride also has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capabilities, wireless smartphone charging, different power points, 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, and a 110-volt power inverter. On the two highest trims, you also get the Driver Talk feature. This allows the driver to communicate to passengers in the third row through speakers.
If you want something higher than the Highlander’s 8.0-inch standard touchscreen, you have to go for the more expensive trims. The 2022 Highlander Limited and Platinum come with a 12.3-inch display. Other infotainment features across all trims include the Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot, and Amazon Alexa integration.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander has an impressive infotainment system, but it does not do as well as the 2022 Telluride.
Warranty
Warranty and maintenance are also important in any vehicle, and while the Telluride excels more in the former, the Highlander is leading in terms of the latter. The 2022 Kia Telluride does not offer complimentary maintenance, which means you have to spend money on maintaining the vehicle from the moment you purchase. On the other hand, the 2022 Toyota Highlander provides customers with complimentary maintenance for two years or 25,00 miles.
Toyota also offers limited, powertrain and hybrid warranties, with coverages of three years, five years or eight years. In miles, the warranty coverage is 36,000 miles, 60,000 miles and 100,000 miles, respectively. This is a pretty decent warranty, but Kia does even better.
With the 2022 Telluride, Kia provides a limited warranty of five years or 60,000 miles and a powertrain warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Price
Although the 2022 Kia Telluride and 2022 Toyota Highlander have similar price ranges, the latter is more expensive.
It is not surprising that the Highlander is more expensive, as it has 11 trim lines which include cars with standard engines and the hybrid engine version. The wide range of trims means an extensive price range, going from $36,420 to $50,225 on average, for L to Platinum Hybrid, respectively. If you remove the Hybrid versions from the series, the most expensive unit changes to $48,775.
The Telluride is more affordable with only four trim lines in the series that you can choose from. These include LX, S, EX and SX. The price range is between $34,015 and $43,915 on average. If you’re working with a strict budget, then you would do better with the Telluride than the Highlander.
Verdict
Just because the Highlander has more expensive trims than the Telluride does not make it better, as we have explored in this guide. The two impressive, family three-row SUVs have their strengths and weaknesses, and it all depends on what the driver can work with best.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander provides better engine power and fuel economy, with two-year complimentary maintenance. But all its features come at a higher price.
On the other hand, the 2022 Kia Telluride has a richer infotainment system and more technology features, plus a longer warranty coverage at a generally lower price.
