Compare the2022 Kia TellurideVS 2020 Nissan Pathfinder

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Telluride and Pathfinder have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Telluride has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Pathfinder’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Kia Telluride has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Telluride’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Telluride has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Telluride has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum has a cross-path warning system.

The Telluride’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Telluride and the Pathfinder have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Telluride is safer than the Nissan Pathfinder:

	Telluride	Pathfinder
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	281	337
Neck Injury Risk	27%	42%
Neck Stress	275 lbs.	464 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Telluride is safer than the Nissan Pathfinder:

	Telluride	Pathfinder
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	41	114
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	93 G’s	120 G’s
Hip Force	440 lbs.	457 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	449 lbs.	557 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	18 inches
Hip Force	640 lbs.	661 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Telluride is 1.9% to 3.6% less likely to roll over than the Pathfinder.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Telluride the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 120 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Pathfinder last would have qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2019.

Warranty

The Telluride comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Pathfinder’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Telluride 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Pathfinder. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Pathfinder ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Telluride’s reliability 54 points higher than the Pathfinder.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 13th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

Engine

The Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 7 more horsepower (291 vs. 284) and 3 lbs.-ft. more torque (262 vs. 259) than the Pathfinder’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Telluride higher (5 out of 10) than the Nissan Pathfinder (3 to 5). This means the Telluride produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pathfinder every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Telluride’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Pathfinder:

	Telluride	Pathfinder
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.6 inches

The Telluride stops much shorter than the Pathfinder:

	Telluride	Pathfinder
70 to 0 MPH	162 feet	170 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Telluride has larger tires than the Pathfinder (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R18).

The Telluride LX/EX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pathfinder S/SV/SL’s standard 65 series tires. The Telluride S/SX’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Pathfinder Platinum’s 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Telluride has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pathfinder’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Telluride has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Telluride is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Pathfinder.

The Telluride SX 4x4 handles at .81 G’s, while the Pathfinder Platinum 4x4 pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Telluride SX 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Pathfinder Platinum 4x4 (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Telluride has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pathfinder (8 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Telluride to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Telluride has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Pathfinder can only carry 7.

The Telluride has 2.1 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear legroom, 2 inches more rear hip room, .8 inches more rear shoulder room, .3 inches more third row headroom, .7 inches more third row legroom and 1.7 inches more third row hip room than the Pathfinder.

The rear step up height for the Telluride is 1.5 inches lower than the Pathfinder (19.3” vs. 20.8”).

Cargo Capacity

The Telluride’s cargo area provides more volume than the Pathfinder.

	Telluride	Pathfinder
Behind Third Seat	21 cubic feet	16.2 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	87 cubic feet	79.5 cubic feet

The Telluride’s cargo area is larger than the Pathfinder’s in almost every dimension:

	Telluride	Pathfinder
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20.4”/49.8”/83.8”	19.2”/43.7”/78.9”
Max Width	54.4”	45.9”
Min Width	43.5”	45.4”
Height	34.5”	31.4”

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Telluride’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The Telluride uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pathfinder uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Telluride SX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Telluride’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Pathfinder’s parking brake has to released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Telluride and the Pathfinder have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Telluride is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Pathfinder prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Telluride’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Pathfinder’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The Telluride SX’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Pathfinder SV/SL/Platinum’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the Telluride’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Pathfinder’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Telluride has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The automatic headlight on/off feature is not available on the Pathfinder S.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Telluride (except LX/S) detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Telluride to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Telluride’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Pathfinder and aren’t offered on the Pathfinder S.

The Telluride EX/SX has standard front air conditioned seats and the Telluride SX offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Telluride owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Telluride with a number “8” insurance rate while the Pathfinder is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

The Telluride will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Telluride will retain 46.99% to 47.58% of its original price after five years, while the Pathfinder only retains 39.1% to 42.95%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Telluride is less expensive to operate than the Pathfinder because it costs $200 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Telluride than the Pathfinder, including $1 less for a water pump, $210 less for a starter, $36 less for fuel injection and $12 less for a fuel pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Telluride will be $2320 to $2610 less than for the Nissan Pathfinder.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Kia Telluride as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Nissan Pathfinder isn't recommended.

The Telluride was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2 of the last 2 years. The Pathfinder has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

Motor Trend selected the Telluride as their 2020 Sport Utility of the Year. The Pathfinder has never been chosen.