Compare the2022 Toyota SequoiaVS 2022 Kia Telluride

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

Both the Sequoia and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available four-wheel drive.

The Toyota Sequoia weighs 1290 to 1873 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Sequoia’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Telluride runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sequoia for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Telluride.

There are over 62 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sequoia’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sequoia third among large suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Telluride isn’t in the top three in its category.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

The Sequoia’s 5.7 DOHC V8 produces 90 more horsepower (381 vs. 291) and 139 lbs.-ft. more torque (401 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Sequoia is faster than the Kia Telluride:

The Sequoia has 7.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (26.4 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Sequoia’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Telluride are solid, not vented.

The Sequoia stops shorter than the Telluride:

For better traction, the Sequoia has larger tires than the Telluride (275/65R18 vs. 245/60R18).

The Sequoia has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Telluride; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sequoia’s wheelbase is 7.8 inches longer than on the Telluride (122 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sequoia is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Telluride.

The Sequoia TRD Sport 4x4 handles at .78 G’s, while the Telluride SX 4x4 pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sequoia TRD Sport 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (27.3 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sequoia’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Telluride’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Sequoia has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (10 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Sequoia to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Sequoia 4x4 is quieter than the Telluride SX 4x4 (71 vs. 75 dB).

The Sequoia has 1.1 inches more front legroom, 3.6 inches more front hip room, 4.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear hip room, 4.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.9 inches more third row legroom, 6.7 inches more third row hip room and 10.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Telluride.

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

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

The Sequoia’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Telluride’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Sequoia’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (7100 vs. 5000 pounds).

The engine in the Sequoia is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Telluride. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The Sequoia’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Telluride does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the front windows are left open on the Sequoia the driver can close them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Telluride can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Sequoia has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Telluride doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Sequoia’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Telluride offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Insurance will cost less for the Sequoia owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sequoia will cost $30 to $1870 less than the Telluride over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Sequoia is less expensive to operate than the Telluride because it costs $427 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Sequoia than the Telluride, including $50 less for a water pump, $377 less for a muffler, $71 less for front brake pads, $83 less for fuel injection and $999 less for a power steering pump.