3-Row SUV Showdown · All-New Kia Telluride
Kia Telluride vsToyota Grand Highlander
More warranty. A more powerful standard hybrid. A lower starting price.
Two of the roomiest three-row SUVs on sale, head to head. The redesigned Kia Telluride counters the Toyota Grand Highlander with double the powertrain warranty, a standard Telluride Hybrid that outguns Toyota’s standard Hybrid by 84 hp, and a lower starting price — while the Grand Highlander answers back with class-leading cargo room. Here’s an honest look at how they stack up at Dean McCrary Kia in Mobile, AL.
10yr/100kKia powertrain warranty
329 hpTelluride Hybrid — beats Grand Highlander’s standard Hybrid by 84 hp
$39,190Starting MSRP*
8Seats standard
5,000 lbMax towing, properly equipped
6×KBB Best Buy winner
The Quick Verdict
Four Reasons the Telluride Wins
Put the all-new Kia Telluride next to the Toyota Grand Highlander and it leads on coverage, hybrid value, and price. The short version before the deep dive — including where Toyota pulls ahead.
Warranty Leader
2×the coverage
10yr/100k vs Toyota’s 5yr/60k
Kia’s powertrain warranty runs double Toyota’s — 10 years or 100,000 miles versus 5 years or 60,000.
Hybrid Power
+84hp over standard hybrid
329 hp Telluride Hybrid vs 245 hp GH Hybrid
Only Toyota’s pricier Hybrid Max (362 hp) beats the Telluride Hybrid on power — and it gives up 8 MPG combined to do it.
Value Leader
~$2,170lower start
$39,190 vs ~$41,360 Grand Highlander LE
The Telluride starts lower and includes more standard tech — a 12.3″ touchscreen and the full driver-assist suite from the base LX.
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 trophy case the Grand Highlander is still chasing.
Pricing & Configuration
Trim Range & Starting MSRP
The Telluride starts lower and includes more standard tech. The Grand Highlander answers with a wider spread of powertrain choices and best-in-class cargo room.
Configuration
Kia TellurideAll-New
Toyota Grand Highlander2026
Starting MSRP*
$39,190Lower Start
~$41,360⚠
Trim Range
LX → X-Pro SX Prestige + Hybrid
LE → Platinum + Hybrid + Hybrid Max
Powertrains
Gas + Hybrid
Gas + Hybrid + Hybrid Max Toyota: 3 Options
Standard Touchscreen
12.3″Dual 12.3″ Available
Up to 12.3″⚠
Off-Road / Notable Trim
X-Line, X-Pro (9.1″ clearance, e-LSD)Real Off-Road Hardware
Nightshade (appearance package, not off-road hardware)
Drivetrain
FWD standard, AWD available
FWD standard on non-hybrid; AWD standard on Hybrid Max
Engines & Efficiency
One Strong Hybrid vs Three Powertrain Choices.
Toyota offers more powertrain variety. But the Telluride Hybrid’s single, simple option out-powers Toyota’s standard Hybrid and stays far more efficient than the range-topping Hybrid Max.
Kia Telluride
2 Powertrain Options
- 2.5L Turbo I4 — 274 hp / 311 lb-ft
- 1.6L Turbo Hybrid — 329 hp combined, ~35 MPG
- 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid)
- Standard FWD, available AWD (standard on X-Line / X-Pro)
Toyota Grand Highlander
3 Powertrain Options
- 2.4L Turbo I4 — 265 hp / 310 lb-ft⚠
- Hybrid — 245 hp combined, up to 36 MPG
- Hybrid Max — 362 hp / 400 lb-ft, 27 MPG, standard AWD
Powertrain Spec
Kia Telluride
Toyota Grand Highlander
Base Gas Horsepower
274 hp (turbo)+9 hp
265 hp (turbo)⚠
Base Gas Torque
311 lb-ft
310 lb-ft⚠ — Essentially tied
Standard Hybrid Power
329 hp+84 hp
245 hp (standard Hybrid)
Hybrid Fuel Economy
~35 MPG combined
36 MPG standard Hybrid / 27 MPG Hybrid Max Toyota edges standard Hybrid MPG
Most-Powerful Hybrid
329 hp (only offering)
362 hp Hybrid Max — Toyota wins here, at a real MPG and price cost
Max Towing
5,000 lb gas / 4,500 lb hybrid
Up to 5,000 lb (Hybrid Max); standard Hybrid tows less⚠
Room, Efficiency & Peace of Mind
The Differences You Live With Daily
Both seat up to eight. The Grand Highlander genuinely wins on outright cargo room — the Telluride pulls ahead on warranty, hybrid value, and price.
Peace of Mind
100kmile warranty
vs Toyota’s 60k-mile powertrain
Ten years or 100,000 miles of Kia powertrain coverage — years of extra protection Toyota’s 5-year/60,000-mile term doesn’t match.
Efficiency & Power
329hp at ~35 MPG
vs GH Hybrid’s 245 hp at 36 MPG
Toyota’s standard Hybrid edges the Telluride Hybrid by about 1 MPG combined, but the Telluride makes 84 more horsepower in the same class of powertrain.
Cargo Room
Toyotawins this one
Widest cargo hold in the class, per Autoblog
Credit where it’s due: the Grand Highlander’s cargo area is genuinely the widest tested among three-row crossovers, with a roomy 33.5-inch third row. If maximum cargo is the top priority, it’s a real Toyota strength.
Technology & Safety
More Standard Assist. A True Hands-Free System.
Both include strong driver-assist suites standard. The Telluride SX adds hands-free-ready highway driving — Toyota’s Traffic Jam Assist is limited to low-speed stop-and-go.
Kia Telluride
12.3″ touchscreen standard — available dual 12.3″ panoramic displays
Available Highway Driving Assist 2 — hands-free-ready on the highway
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
Toyota Grand Highlander
Up to 12.3″ touchscreen⚠ — size varies by trim, no dual-display option
Traffic Jam Assist (Platinum only) — low-speed only, not full hands-free highway driving
Available premium audio system
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 standard on every trim
Standard wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
Available surround-view camera
5-year / 60,000-mile powertrain warranty; 3-year / 36,000-mile basic
Independent Recognition
The Awards Don’t Lie
Analysts have measured both for years. The Telluride keeps collecting the hardware the segment gets judged against — while the Grand Highlander earns its own praise for outright cargo capacity.
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.
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
5-Star Safety — Both
Both the Grand Highlander and the outgoing Telluride earned a 5-star overall NHTSA rating. Neither the 2026 Grand Highlander nor the redesigned, not-yet-tested 2027 Telluride currently holds an IIHS Top Safety Pick award — call it even on safety until fresh testing is in.
Cross-Shopping the Grand Highlander? 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 Grand Highlander — Common Questions
Is the Kia Telluride better than the Toyota Grand Highlander?⌄
For most three-row buyers, yes. The Telluride leads on warranty (10yr/100k powertrain vs Toyota’s 5yr/60k), starts about $2,170 lower, and its standard Telluride Hybrid outguns the Grand Highlander’s standard Hybrid by 84 hp. The Grand Highlander answers with the widest cargo hold in the class and a Hybrid Max variant that beats the Telluride Hybrid on raw power — but at a real MPG and price cost. See live Telluride inventory.
Which has more power — Telluride or Grand Highlander?⌄
On the standard gas engine, the Telluride’s 274-hp turbo edges the Grand Highlander’s 265-hp turbo. On hybrid, the standard Telluride Hybrid’s 329 hp beats Toyota’s standard Hybrid (245 hp) by a wide margin. Only the pricier, thirstier Grand Highlander Hybrid Max (362 hp) out-powers the Telluride Hybrid — and it drops to 27 MPG combined to do it, well behind the Telluride Hybrid’s 35 MPG.
Does the Toyota Grand Highlander offer a hybrid?⌄
Yes, Toyota offers two hybrid variants: a standard Hybrid (245 hp, up to 36 MPG combined) and a more powerful Hybrid Max (362 hp, 27 MPG combined). The standard Telluride Hybrid splits the difference — more power than Toyota’s standard Hybrid at 329 hp, and far better efficiency than the Hybrid Max, in a single, simpler hybrid offering starting thousands less than Toyota’s Hybrid Max trims.
Is the Kia Telluride cheaper than the Toyota Grand Highlander?⌄
Yes. The Telluride LX starts at $39,190 MSRP versus roughly $41,360 for the Grand Highlander LE (both before destination) — the Telluride starts about $2,170 lower and includes more standard driver-assist technology from its base trim.
What’s the warranty difference between Kia and Toyota?⌄
Kia’s is significantly longer: 10 years / 100,000 miles powertrain and 5 years / 60,000 miles limited, vs Toyota’s 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain and 3 years / 36,000 miles limited.
What does the Toyota Grand Highlander do better?⌄
The Grand Highlander has real strengths: the widest cargo area of any three-row crossover tested by Autoblog’s luggage test, a genuinely roomy third row with 33.5 inches of legroom, and a Hybrid Max variant with more horsepower than any Telluride. If maximum cargo room or the most powerful available hybrid is your priority, it’s worth a look. For warranty, starting price, and hybrid efficiency at a mainstream price, 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 Grand Highlander · 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 Toyota Grand Highlander, 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 Toyota Grand Highlander. Specifications and pricing compiled from manufacturer materials (kia.com, toyota.com), Edmunds, and Kelley Blue Book, and are current as of publication. MSRP shown is base, excluding destination, taxes, title, and dealer fees; AWD, hybrid, and higher trims add cost. Figures marked ⚠ reflect dealer-aggregator or secondary-source estimates that were not confirmed against toyota.com directly 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 is for comparison only; your mileage will vary.
Toyota, Grand Highlander, Toyota Safety Sense, and Hybrid Max are trademarks of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., 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 Toyota Grand Highlander Comparison — Dean McCrary Kia, Mobile AL
The all-new Kia Telluride compares favorably to the Toyota Grand Highlander on warranty (10-year/100,000-mile powertrain vs 5-year/60,000-mile), standard hybrid power (329 hp vs Toyota's standard 245-hp Hybrid), and starting price (about $39,190 vs $41,360). The Grand Highlander answers with the widest cargo area of any three-row crossover tested and a 362-hp Hybrid Max option. Both seat up to eight and tow up to 5,000 pounds. Dean McCrary Kia in Mobile, Alabama stocks the full Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup, serving Daphne, Spanish Fort, Saraland, and Fairhope.