2026 Jeep Cherokee vs. 2027 Kia Telluride

CarGurus, after a 1,200-mile family road trip through Northern California and Yosemite, rates the Kia Telluride 8.2/10, saying aging technology caused some irritation over five days but otherwise the Telluride was perfectly suited to long-distance travel, whether rolling down an interstate, roaming a major city, or romping down trails near a national park, praising its stylish design, comfort, and great safety ratings, while flagging outdated technology, an irritating lane-assist system, and sticky brakes in thick traffic. TrueCar says the Jeep Cherokee's $36,995 MSRP undercuts the Kia Telluride's $40,735 by $3,740, a gap that stretches to $4,860 based on real-world average prices, and the Cherokee also wins on fuel economy at 39 city/35 highway mpg versus the Telluride's 20 city/26 highway.

Which to choose, and why

CarGurus took the Telluride on a real road trip

CarGurus (opens in a new tab), after a 1,200-mile family road trip through Northern California and Yosemite, rates the Kia Telluride 8.2/10, saying aging technology caused some irritation over five days but otherwise the Telluride was perfectly suited to long-distance travel, whether rolling down an interstate, roaming a major city, or romping down trails near a national park, praising its stylish design, comfort, and great safety ratings, while flagging outdated technology, an irritating lane-assist system, and sticky brakes in thick traffic.

$3,740 to $4,860 cheaper, far thriftier Cherokee

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says the Jeep Cherokee's $36,995 MSRP undercuts the Kia Telluride's $40,735 by $3,740, a gap that stretches to $4,860 based on real-world average prices, and the Cherokee also wins on fuel economy at 39 city/35 highway mpg versus the Telluride's 20 city/26 highway.

Questions buyers ask

Is the Kia Telluride's technology outdated?

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says yes, flagging aging tech and an irritating lane-assist system after a real road trip.

Which is cheaper, the Jeep Cherokee or Kia Telluride?

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says the Cherokee, by $3,740 at MSRP.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Jeep Cherokee: 1 records · Kia Telluride: 6 records.

Decision field	Jeep Cherokee	Kia Telluride
Exact EPA records	1	6
Model / option labels	1	6
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	1.6L 4-cyl Hybrid	2.5L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI, 2.5L 4-cyl SIDI; Hybrid
Transmissions	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Automatic (AM-S6), Automatic (S8)
Fuel types	Regular	Regular
EPA classes	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	37 MPG/MPGe	19–35 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$1750 per year	$1850–3400 per year

Head to head

Jeep Cherokee vs. Kia Telluride: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Jeep Cherokee	Kia Telluride
Starting price (KBB base)	$36,995	$40,735
Top trim price (KBB base)	$44,995	$58,335
Horsepower	177 hp	n/a
Torque	221 lb-ft	n/a
Curb weight	4,295 lb	n/a
Length	188.1 in	199.2 in
Wheelbase	113 in	116.9 in
Cargo volume	68.3 cu ft	89.3 cu ft
Towing capacity	3,500 lb	5,000-5,500 lb
Seating	5 seats	7-8 seats
Basic warranty	3 years	5 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2026 and 2027 model years); prices are KBB base prices.

The Jeep Cherokee starts $3,740 lower: $36,995 against $40,735 before options and fees.
On length, the Kia Telluride leads: 199.2 in against 188.1 in.
On wheelbase, the Kia Telluride leads: 116.9 in against 113 in.
On cargo volume, the Kia Telluride leads: 89.3 cu ft against 68.3 cu ft.
On maximum towing capacity, the Kia Telluride leads: 5,500 lb against 3,500 lb.
On seating capacity, the Kia Telluride leads: 8 seats against 5 seats.
On basic warranty, the Kia Telluride leads: 5 years against 3 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Jeep Cherokee and the Kia Telluride.

2026 Jeep Cherokee

The Jeep Cherokee is a line of sport utility vehicles (SUV) manufactured and marketed by Jeep over six generations. Marketed initially as a variant of the Jeep Wagoneer (SJ), the Cherokee has evolved from a full-size station wagon (before the SUV description came into use) to one of the first compact SUVs and into its latest generation as a crossover SUV.

Source: Jeep Cherokee (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2023 Jeep Cherokee overall 4 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (4 campaigns across the latest model years)

September 2026, Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems. Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Jeep Wagoneer, 2024-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, 2025 Jeep Wagoneer L, 2025-2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, and 2026 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. Due to a… Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to notify the driver of low tire pressure increases the risk of a crash.
August 2026, Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Compass, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, Ram Promaster, Ram Promaster EV, Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In… Consequence: A rearview camera image that fails to display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
April 2026, Electronic Stability Control (Esc). Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The brake system control module may fail to operate properly, which can cause a loss of anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). Consequence: A loss of anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control increases the risk of a crash.

2027 Kia Telluride

The Kia Telluride is a mid-size crossover SUV with three-row seating manufactured and marketed by Kia since 2019. Positioned above the Sorento, it was previewed as a concept car in 2016, with the production model debuting in early 2019 as a 2020 model. It shares components and specifications with its Hyundai counterpart, the Hyundai Palisade, including its engine, transmission, and wheelbase.

Safety: The 2020 and 2021 model years of the Telluride were awarded "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS, it was later awarded "Top Safety Pick+".
Recalls and problems: In March 2024, Kia recalled over 427,000 Tellurides from 2020 to 2024 model years, due to rollaway risks which the vehicles rolls away when placed in 'P' gear. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this is because of improper assembly of the intermediate shaft and the right front driveshaft could cause unintended vehicle movement, if the driver failed to engage the parking brake.
Awards: In 2020, the Telluride received the 2020 World Car of the Year as well as Motor Trend's SUV of the Year.

Source: Kia Telluride (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2025 Kia Telluride overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (5 campaigns across the latest model years)

June 2026, Seat Belts:Front. Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2027 Telluride and Telluride Hybrid vehicles. The driver seat belt emergency locking retractor may lock, causing the seat belt strap not to extend. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal… Consequence: A seat belt strap that does not extend can fail to restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
March 2026, Seat Belts:Rear/Other:Anchorage. Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2027 Kia Telluride and 2026 Kia K4 vehicles. The rear center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2026 K4 and the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2027 Telluride may not latch properly. Consequence: A seat belt buckle that is not latched properly can fail to restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
February 2026, Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride vehicles, equipped with power front seat(s). Due to a manufacturing error, the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies may fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash. Consequence: A seat back frame that fails to properly restrain an occupant during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Owners filed 24 complaints with NHTSA for the 2027 Kia Telluride, most often about seat belts (7), power train (6), seats (5).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2026Jeep Cherokee1 configurations →02 · 2027Kia Telluride6 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

12 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2026 Jeep Cherokee or the 2027 Kia Telluride?

Efficiency

The 2026 Jeep Cherokee lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (37 vs. the 2027 Kia Telluride's 27 MPG/MPGe).