3-Row SUV Showdown · All-New Kia Telluride
Kia Telluride vsMazda CX-90
Longer warranty. Bigger standard screen. A far more efficient hybrid.
Two of the Gulf Coast’s most cross-shopped three-row SUVs, head to head. The redesigned Kia Telluride backs its gas and hybrid powertrains with five more years of powertrain warranty than the Mazda CX-90 and pairs a bigger standard touchscreen with more standard towing capacity. Here’s an honest look at how they stack up at Dean McCrary Kia in Mobile, AL — including where the CX-90’s driving dynamics and plug-in hybrid option earn real credit.
10yr/100kKia powertrain warranty
329 hpTelluride Hybrid — most powerful Telluride ever
$39,190Starting MSRP*
8Seats standard
5,000 lbMax towing, properly equipped
6×KBB Best Buy winner
The Quick Verdict
Four Honest Reasons the Telluride Wins
The Telluride and CX-90 both take three-row SUVs seriously, but they make different bets — Mazda leans into driving feel and cabin polish, Kia leans into warranty depth, standard tech, and hybrid efficiency. Here’s where the Telluride genuinely pulls ahead.
Warranty Leader
10yr/100kpowertrain warranty
vs Mazda’s 5-year/60,000-mile term
Kia backs the Telluride with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty — five years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda’s 5-year/60,000-mile term. That’s one of the widest coverage gaps in the segment.
Standard Screen
12.3″standard touchscreen
vs CX-90’s 10.25″ standard display
Every Telluride comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen from the base LX trim — bigger than the CX-90’s standard 10.25-inch display, which doesn’t grow to 12.3 inches until Premium Sport and up.
Towing, No Add-On
5,000lb standard tow
vs CX-90’s 3,500 lb on Select & Preferred
Every Telluride gas trim tows up to 5,000 lb properly equipped. The CX-90’s two base trims are limited to 3,500 lb — you need Premium Sport or above, the Towing Package, and a genuine Mazda hitch to reach 5,000 lb.
Award Leader
6×KBB Best Buy
Plus World Car of the Year
World Car of the Year, MotorTrend SUV of the Year, and #1 J.D. Power Initial Quality — a deeper trophy case than the CX-90 has assembled to date.
Pricing & Configuration
Trim Range & Starting MSRP
The CX-90 actually starts about $390 lower on paper — genuinely close, and worth acknowledging. The real separation shows up in standard screen size, towing without an add-on package, and what’s included after the sale.
Configuration
Kia TellurideAll-New
Mazda CX-902026
Starting MSRP*
$39,190
$38,800
Trim Range
LX → X-Pro SX Prestige + Hybrid
Turbo Select → Turbo S Premium Plus + PHEV
Powertrains
Gas + Hybrid
Gas (48V mild hybrid) + Plug-In Hybrid
Standard Touchscreen
12.3″Dual 12.3″ Available
10.25″ (12.3″ available, Premium Sport+)
Standard Max Towing
5,000 lbNo Package Required
3,500 lb on Select/Preferred⚠
Drivetrain
FWD standard, AWD available
AWD standard, every trim
Engines & Efficiency
More Peak Power From Mazda. A Far More Efficient Kia Hybrid.
The CX-90’s turbo six out-muscles the Telluride’s turbo four on paper, and the Turbo S even edges the Telluride Hybrid on horsepower. But nothing in the CX-90 lineup touches the Telluride Hybrid’s fuel economy — or its plugless simplicity.
Kia Telluride
2 Powertrain Options
- 2.5L Turbo I4 — 274 hp / 311 lb-ft
- 1.6L Turbo Hybrid — 329 hp / 339 lb-ft combined, ~35 MPG
- 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid)
- Standard FWD, available AWD (standard on X-Line / X-Pro)
Mazda CX-90
3 Powertrain Options
- 3.3L Turbo I6, M Hybrid Boost (48V) — 280 hp / 332 lb-ft on regular fuel
- 3.3L Turbo S I6 — 340 hp / 369 lb-ft on premium fuel (319 hp on regular)⚠
- 2.5L Plug-In Hybrid — 323 hp / 369 lb-ft combined, 26-mi EV range, 56 MPGe
- 8-speed automatic, standard AWD on every trim
Powertrain Spec
Kia Telluride
Mazda CX-90
Base Gas Horsepower
274 hp (turbo four)
280 hp (turbo six, regular fuel)
Base Gas Torque
311 lb-ft
332 lb-ft
Top Performance Trim Power
274 hp — no dedicated performance trim
340 hp (Turbo S, premium fuel)⚠
Most Efficient Powertrain
Telluride Hybrid — ~35 MPG combinedFar Ahead
3.3 Turbo (mild hybrid) — ~25 MPG combined⚠
Plug-In Hybrid Option
Not offered on Telluride
CX-90 PHEV — 26-mi EV range, 56 MPGe combined
Max Gas Towing, Properly Equipped
5,000 lb, every gas trimNo Package Required
3,500 lb (Select/Preferred); 5,000 lb (Premium Sport+ w/ Towing Pkg + hitch)⚠
Room, Efficiency & Peace of Mind
The Differences You Live With Daily
Seating and cargo run close, and both offer a genuine three-row experience. Here’s what actually separates ownership day to day.
Peace of Mind
10yr/100kpowertrain warranty
vs Mazda’s 5yr/60k powertrain terms
Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty outlasts Mazda’s 5-year/60,000-mile term by five years and 40,000 miles — real extra coverage where the CX-90 is at its weakest against it.
Hybrid Efficiency
35MPG combined
vs CX-90’s ~25 MPG combined⚠
The Telluride Hybrid’s 329-hp turbo-hybrid system is EPA-estimated at 35 MPG combined — a real gap over the CX-90’s 48-volt-assisted turbo six, which returns about 25 MPG combined. The CX-90 PHEV closes the gap with electric range, but it isn’t available on every trim.
Capability
5,000lb, no add-on
vs CX-90’s 3,500 lb on base trims⚠
Every Telluride gas trim tows up to 5,000 lb properly equipped. The CX-90’s two base trims cap out at 3,500 lb — you’ll need Premium Sport or above, the Towing Package, and a genuine Mazda hitch to match the Telluride’s rating.
Technology & Safety
Both Bring Real Safety Tech. Kia’s Screen Comes Standard-Bigger.
Both lineups lean on comprehensive driver-assist suites and earn strong independent safety marks. Where the Telluride separates is standard screen size, hands-free-ready highway driving on SX trims and up, and a warranty that simply runs longer.
Kia Telluride
12.3″ touchscreen standard — available dual 12.3″ panoramic displays
Available Highway Driving Assist 2 — hands-free-ready highway driving
Available 14-speaker Meridian premium audio
Full driver-assist suite standard from base LX
Standard wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Available 360° camera & Blind-Spot View Monitor
10-year / 100,000-mile powertrain warranty; 5-year / 60,000-mile basic
Mazda CX-90
10.25″ touchscreen standard⚠ — 12.3″ available on Premium Sport & above, no dual-display option
Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go standard — not offered as hands-free highway driving⚠
Available premium Bose audio
i-Activsense driver-assist suite standard
Standard wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, every trim
Available 360° view monitor
5-year / 60,000-mile powertrain warranty; 3-year / 36,000-mile basic
Independent Recognition
The Awards Don’t Lie
Analysts have measured both nameplates for years. The Telluride keeps collecting the hardware the segment gets judged against.
World Car Awards
World Car of the Year
The Telluride’s crown — alongside MotorTrend SUV of the Year and North American Utility of the Year. No CX-90 generation has matched that trio.
Kelley Blue Book
Best Buy, 6 Straight Years
KBB’s midsize SUV Best Buy every year it was eligible — a near-luxury feel at an honest price.
J.D. Power · 2025 IQS
#1 in Initial Quality
Fewest reported problems in the first 90 days — top of the upper-midsize SUV segment.
NHTSA & IIHS
Safety Pedigree — Both Strong
The 2026 CX-90 (gas and PHEV) earned the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick+ award and a 5-star NHTSA rating — real, current credentials. The outgoing Telluride earned IIHS Top Safety Pick+ in 2025; the redesigned 2027 model is engineered to that standard and awaits its own testing.
Cross-Shopping the CX-90? Drive the Telluride First.
See every Telluride and Telluride Hybrid in stock, get a real number on your current SUV, and feel the difference yourself — all in one stop in Mobile.
Telluride vs CX-90 — Common Questions
Is the Kia Telluride better than the Mazda CX-90?⌄
It depends on what you value most. The Telluride backs its gas and hybrid powertrains with a 10-year/100,000-mile factory powertrain warranty — five years and 40,000 miles longer than the CX-90’s 5-year/60,000-mile term. The Telluride Hybrid is also far more efficient, rated at an EPA-estimated 35 MPG combined vs roughly 25 MPG combined for the CX-90’s gas turbo six. The CX-90 counters with standout driving dynamics, an upscale cabin, standard all-wheel drive, and a plug-in hybrid option the Telluride line doesn’t offer. See live Telluride inventory.
Which has more power — Telluride or CX-90?⌄
The Mazda CX-90 wins on paper here. Its standard 3.3L turbo inline-six makes 280 hp and 332 lb-ft on regular fuel — more than the Telluride’s standard turbo four’s 274 hp and 311 lb-ft — and the top CX-90 Turbo S makes 340 hp on premium fuel, more than even the Telluride Hybrid’s 329 hp combined. Kia’s hybrid closes the gap on efficiency instead: the Telluride Hybrid is EPA-rated near 35 MPG combined, well ahead of the CX-90 gas turbo’s roughly 25 MPG combined.
Does the Mazda CX-90 have a hybrid or plug-in hybrid?⌄
Yes, and the CX-90 actually offers something the Telluride doesn’t: a true plug-in hybrid. The CX-90 PHEV combines a 2.5L engine and electric motor for 323 hp combined, an EPA-estimated 26 miles of all-electric range, and 56 MPGe combined. The Telluride Hybrid isn’t a plug-in — it’s a standard hybrid — but it’s rated more efficient on gas-only driving (about 35 MPG combined vs the CX-90 gas turbo’s 25 MPG) and pairs with Kia’s longer warranty.
Is the Kia Telluride cheaper than the Mazda CX-90?⌄
They’re close, and the CX-90 actually starts slightly lower on paper: the CX-90 3.3 Turbo Select has a base MSRP of $38,800 vs the Telluride LX’s $39,190 — about a $390 difference before destination. But base-trim content isn’t equal: the Telluride LX’s standard 12.3-inch touchscreen is larger than the CX-90 Select’s standard 10.25-inch display, and every Telluride tows up to 5,000 lb, where the CX-90’s two base trims are capped at 3,500 lb until you step up to Premium Sport or add the Towing Package.
What’s the warranty difference between Kia and Mazda on these two?⌄
It’s one of the biggest gaps in this comparison. The Telluride carries Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, while the CX-90 carries Mazda’s 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty and 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty — five fewer years and 40,000 fewer miles of powertrain coverage.
What does the Mazda CX-90 do better?⌄
Real strengths: reviewers consistently rate the CX-90 among the best-driving SUVs in its class, and its cabin — Nappa leather, satin-finish accents, standard three-zone climate — punches above its price point. Mazda’s i-Activ AWD is standard on every CX-90 trim (Telluride’s AWD is available, not standard), the top Turbo S makes more horsepower than any Telluride, and the CX-90 PHEV offers genuine plug-in electric range the Telluride line doesn’t match. If driving feel, standard AWD, or a plug-in powertrain matter most, it’s worth a look. For warranty coverage, hybrid efficiency, standard touchscreen size, and towing without an add-on package, the Telluride leads.
Where can I compare them near Mobile, AL?⌄
Dean McCrary Kia at 1733 E I-65 Service Rd S in Mobile stocks the full Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup — convenient to Daphne, Spanish Fort, Saraland, Fairhope, and the Gulf Coast. Come drive one and see the difference in person.
Telluride vs CX-90 · Gulf Coast
Shopping a 3-Row SUV Near Mobile?
Dean McCrary Kia serves Gulf Coast families from Mobile to the Eastern Shore with the area’s deepest Telluride selection. If you’re cross-shopping the Mazda CX-90, here’s why to start here.
- Live inventory of every Telluride trim — LX through X-Pro SX Prestige, plus Hybrid
- A fair number on your trade — value your current SUV in minutes
- Upfront pricing and Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty on every new Telluride
- Kia-certified service, factory maintenance, and genuine parts
Dean McCrary Kia
Address1733 E I-65 Service Rd S, Mobile, AL 36606
Sales(251) 471-3326
Sales HoursMon–Sat 8:30 AM–6:00 PM
Sources & Verification
Comparison reflects the all-new Kia Telluride against the 2026 Mazda CX-90 and CX-90 PHEV. Specifications and pricing compiled from manufacturer materials (kia.com, mazdausa.com), Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds, and are current as of publication. MSRP shown is base, excluding destination, taxes, title, and dealer fees; AWD, hybrid, PHEV, and higher trims add cost. Figures marked ⚠ reflect trim-gated specs, secondary-source figures, or estimates that were not confirmed against a single primary source at time of publication and should be verified before this page is used publicly. Horsepower, torque, towing, and payload are independent attributes and may not be achieved simultaneously. EPA-estimated fuel economy and MPGe are for comparison only; your mileage will vary.
Mazda, CX-90, SKYACTIV, M Hybrid Boost, i-Activsense, i-Activ AWD, and Mazda Connect are trademarks of Mazda Motor Corporation / Mazda Motor of America, Inc. Kia, Telluride, and Meridian references are used for descriptive comparison. Awards include prior- and current-generation Telluride honors. This comparison reflects the dealer’s perspective and is intended for informational purposes only. Pricing and offers subject to change — contact Dean McCrary Kia for current pricing.
Kia Telluride vs Mazda CX-90 Comparison — Dean McCrary Kia, Mobile AL
The all-new Kia Telluride and the 2026 Mazda CX-90 are both cross-shopped three-row SUVs, but they win on different things. Kia backs the Telluride with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, five years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda's 5-year/60,000-mile term. The Telluride's standard 12.3-inch touchscreen is larger than the CX-90's standard 10.25-inch display, and every Telluride gas trim tows up to 5,000 lb where the CX-90's base trims are capped at 3,500 lb. The Telluride Hybrid is EPA-estimated at 35 MPG combined, well ahead of the CX-90's roughly 25 MPG combined turbo six. The CX-90 counters with more peak horsepower (up to 340 hp on Turbo S), standard all-wheel drive on every trim, praised driving dynamics and cabin materials, and a genuine plug-in hybrid option (CX-90 PHEV, 26-mile electric range, 56 MPGe) that the Telluride line doesn't offer. Dean McCrary Kia in Mobile, Alabama stocks the full Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup, serving Daphne, Spanish Fort, Saraland, and Fairhope.