Compare the2022 Kia TellurideVS 2022 Lexus RXL

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/05/05

Both the Telluride and RXL 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 RXL’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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Telluride are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The RXL doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Telluride and the RXL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, 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 Lexus RXL:

	Telluride	RXL
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	27%	33.2%
Neck Stress	275 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	32 lbs.	60 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36%	40.1%
Neck Stress	131 lbs.	267 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	351/369 lbs.	403/457 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 Lexus RXL:

	Telluride	RXL
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	41	53
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	93 G’s	110 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	165
Hip Force	449 lbs.	594 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	640 lbs.	685 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 1.2% to 2.4% less likely to roll over than the RXL.

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 RXL’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Telluride 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lexus covers the RXL. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the RXL ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Telluride’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Telluride has a standard 800-amp battery. The RXL’s 580-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Telluride is faster than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6:

	Telluride	RXL
Zero to 30 MPH	2.7 sec	2.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.2 sec	7.7 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.1 sec	5.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.5 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	90 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Telluride FWD gets better fuel mileage than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6 8 speed Auto FWD (20 city/26 hwy vs. 19 city/26 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Telluride uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RX 450hL requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Telluride has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Telluride	RXL
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.9 inches

The Telluride stops much shorter than the RXL:

	Telluride	RXL
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Telluride has larger tires than the RXL (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 RXL’s standard 65 series tires. The Telluride S/SX’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the RXL’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Telluride’s wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than on the RXL (114.2 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Telluride is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than on the RXL.

The Telluride SX 4x4 handles at .80 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Telluride SX 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

The Kia Telluride may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 450 pounds less than the Lexus RXL.

Passenger Space

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

The Telluride has 38 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RXL (155 vs. 117).

The Telluride has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front hip room, 3.3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 11.5 inches more rear legroom, 2.2 inches more rear hip room, 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.3 inches more third row headroom, 7.9 inches more third row legroom and 9.6 inches more third row shoulder room than the RXL.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Telluride’s middle and third row seats recline. The RXL’s third row seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Telluride is 1 inches lower than the RXL (19.5” vs. 20.5”). The Telluride’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the RXL’s (19.3” vs. 20.8”).

Cargo Capacity

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

	Telluride	RXL
Behind Third Seat	21 cubic feet	7.5 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	46 cubic feet	23 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	87 cubic feet	58.5 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Telluride easier. The Telluride’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.7 inches, while the RXL’s liftover is 31.9 inches.

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

	Telluride	RXL
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20.4”/49.8”/83.8”	21.5”/48.5”/81”
Max Width	54.4”	51.8”
Min Width	43.5”	44”
Height	34.5”	30”

Towing

The Telluride’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (5000 vs. 0 pounds).

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Telluride, using the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the RXL.

Ergonomics

The Telluride’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The RXL’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 RXL doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Telluride owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Telluride will cost $1300 less than the RXL over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Telluride is less expensive to operate than the RXL because typical repairs cost much less on the Telluride than the RXL, including $644 less for a water pump, $329 less for a starter, $1060 less for a timing belt/chain and $940 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Telluride will be $4945 to $6837 less than for the Lexus RXL.

Recommendations

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

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