Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2022 Kia Telluride

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Telluride doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The GX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Telluride doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Kia Telluride doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The Lexus GX 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.

The GX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GX. But it costs extra on the Telluride.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the GX’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Telluride doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

Both the GX and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 around view monitors.

The Lexus GX weighs 686 to 1080 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The GX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Telluride’s (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

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 GX’s reliability 16 points higher than the Telluride.

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

The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 10 more horsepower (301 vs. 291) and 67 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the Kia Telluride:

The GX has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (23 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The GX’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 GX stops shorter than the Telluride:

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the Telluride (265/60R18 vs. 245/60R18).

The Lexus GX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Kia Telluride only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The GX 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.

The GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Telluride doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Telluride’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GX’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Telluride’s (55.7% to 44.3%). This gives the GX more stable handling and braking.

The GX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (8.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The GX is 4.8 inches shorter than the Telluride, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the GX is quieter than the Telluride SX 4x4 (73 vs. 75 dB).

The GX has .3 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Telluride.

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

The GX has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Telluride doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

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

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (6500 vs. 5000 pounds).

The engine in the GX 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 63% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

If the windows are left open on the GX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Telluride can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GX’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Telluride’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GX offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The GX’s standard 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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX 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 less on the GX than the Telluride, including $33 less for a water pump, $115 less for front brake pads, $161 less for front struts and $24 less for a power steering pump.