2027 Kia Telluride vs. 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

Car and Driver's comparison test found the Grand Highlander the clear winner in acceleration and cargo space, but named the Telluride the unanimous overall winner for its comprehensive luxurious interior, functional space, solid performance with class-excellent fuel economy, and a lower price than the Grand Highlander's. GreenCars says the standard Telluride Hybrid offers more towing capacity than the Grand Highlander Hybrid, up to 4,500 pounds versus 3,500, though the Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX climbs to 5,000 pounds, while the Telluride Hybrid makes 329 hp/339 lb-ft versus the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid's 245 hp/175 lb-ft (362 hp/400 lb-ft in Hybrid MAX form), and the Grand Highlander Hybrid starts lower at $47,205 with AWD standard versus the Telluride's $48,035 before adding AWD.

Which to choose, and why

Car and Driver names the Telluride the unanimous winner

Car and Driver's (opens in a new tab) comparison test found the Grand Highlander the clear winner in acceleration and cargo space, but named the Telluride the unanimous overall winner for its comprehensive luxurious interior, functional space, solid performance with class-excellent fuel economy, and a lower price than the Grand Highlander's.

Telluride tows more standard; Grand Highlander MAX tows most

GreenCars (opens in a new tab) says the standard Telluride Hybrid offers more towing capacity than the Grand Highlander Hybrid, up to 4,500 pounds versus 3,500, though the Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX climbs to 5,000 pounds, while the Telluride Hybrid makes 329 hp/339 lb-ft versus the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid's 245 hp/175 lb-ft (362 hp/400 lb-ft in Hybrid MAX form), and the Grand Highlander Hybrid starts lower at $47,205 with AWD standard versus the Telluride's $48,035 before adding AWD.

Questions buyers ask

Which won Car and Driver's comparison test, the Telluride or Grand Highlander?

Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) named the Telluride the unanimous winner.

Which tows more, the Kia Telluride or Toyota Grand Highlander?

GreenCars (opens in a new tab) says the standard Telluride, at 4,500 lbs versus the standard Grand Highlander's 3,500, though the Hybrid MAX Grand Highlander tows up to 5,000.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Kia Telluride: 6 records · Toyota Grand Highlander: 7 records.

Decision field	Kia Telluride	Toyota Grand Highlander
Exact EPA records	6	7
Model / option labels	6	6
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	2.5L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI, 2.5L 4-cyl SIDI; Hybrid	2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI, 2.4L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, 2.5L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; Hybrid
Transmissions	Automatic (AM-S6), Automatic (S8)	Automatic (AV-S6), Automatic (S6), Automatic (S8)
Fuel types	Regular	Regular
EPA classes	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	19–35 MPG/MPGe	22–36 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$1850–3400 per year	$1800–2950 per year

Head to head

Kia Telluride vs. Toyota Grand Highlander: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Kia Telluride	Toyota Grand Highlander
Starting price (KBB base)	$40,735	$43,355
Top trim price (KBB base)	$58,335	$56,540
Horsepower	n/a	265 hp
Torque	n/a	310 lb-ft
Curb weight	n/a	4,440-4,485 lb
Length	199.2 in	201.4 in
Wheelbase	116.9 in	116.1 in
Cargo volume	89.3 cu ft	97.5 cu ft
Towing capacity	5,000-5,500 lb	5,000 lb
Seating	7-8 seats	7-8 seats
Basic warranty	5 years	3 years

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

The Kia Telluride starts $2,620 lower: $40,735 against $43,355 before options and fees.
On length, the Toyota Grand Highlander leads: 201.4 in against 199.2 in.
On wheelbase, the Kia Telluride leads: 116.9 in against 116.1 in.
On cargo volume, the Toyota Grand Highlander leads: 97.5 cu ft against 89.3 cu ft.
On maximum towing capacity, the Kia Telluride leads: 5,500 lb against 5,000 lb.
Both list the same seating capacity: 8 seats.
On basic warranty, the Kia Telluride leads: 5 years against 3 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Kia Telluride and the Toyota Grand Highlander.

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).

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

The Toyota Grand Highlander is a mid-size crossover SUV with three-row seating produced by Toyota since 2023. The Grand Highlander was introduced for the North American market on February 8, 2023. While sharing the nameplate and the GA-K platform with the regular Highlander, the Grand Highlander is longer, taller, and wider, and features entirely different exterior and interior styling.

Safety: The 2024 model year Grand Highlander was not awarded by the IIHS, as it did not receive a Good rating in the driver-side small overlap front crash test to be qualified for a safety award.

Source: Toyota Grand Highlander (Wikipedia)

Trim levels. The Grand Highlander exclusively uses four-cylinder powertrains. The gas models use the turbocharged 2.4-liter T24A-FTS engine producing up to 265 hp (198 kW; 269 PS) and 310 lb⋅ft of torque.

NHTSA rated the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (7 campaigns across the latest model years)

September 2026, Steering:Linkages:Knuckle:Spindle:Arm. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX350, RX500 Hybrid, TX500 Hybrid, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can… Consequence: A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash.
July 2026, Power Train:Axle Assembly. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid, TX Hybrid, TX, Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Grand Highlander vehicles. The rear axle carriers may have been manufactured with insufficient material strength and could break. Consequence: A broken rear axle carrier can cause a sudden loss of vehicle stability and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
March 2026, Equipment:Other:Labels. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid… Consequence: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Owners filed 73 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander, most often about unknown or other (20), power train (15), engine (12).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2027Kia Telluride6 configurations →02 · 2026Toyota Grand Highlander7 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

12 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2027 Kia Telluride or the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?

Efficiency

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (29 vs. the 2027 Kia Telluride's 27 MPG/MPGe).