Compare the2023 Kia TellurideVS 2023 GMC Yukon

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

Safety

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Both the Telluride and Yukon 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 Yukon’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 Yukon doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Yukon’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Telluride has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. GMC charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Yukon and the Yukon’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

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 Yukon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Telluride uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Yukon uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Telluride and the Yukon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, 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 GMC Yukon:

	Telluride	Yukon
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36%	47%
Neck Stress	131 lbs.	272 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	351/369 lbs.	333/811 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 GMC Yukon:

	Telluride	Yukon
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	93 lbs.	111 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	640 lbs.	764 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 5.7% to 7.6% less likely to roll over than the Yukon.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Telluride its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Yukon has not been tested, yet.

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 Yukon’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 GMC covers the Yukon. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Yukon ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Telluride has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the Yukon.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Telluride has a 800-amp battery. The Yukon only offers a standard 730-amp battery.

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 27 points higher than the Yukon.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 7th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 17th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 12 places higher in reliability than GMC.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Telluride is faster than the GMC Yukon 5.3 V8:

	Telluride	Yukon
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.2 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.2 MPH	90.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Telluride gets better mileage than the Yukon:

			MPG
Telluride
	FWD	3.8 DOHC V6	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.8 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy
Yukon
	RWD	5.3 OHV V8	15 city/20 hwy
		6.2 OHV V8	14 city/20 hwy
	AWD	5.3 OHV V8	15 city/20 hwy
		6.2 OHV V8	14 city/18 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Telluride uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Yukon with the 6.2 V8 engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

The Telluride stops much shorter than the Yukon:

	Telluride	Yukon
70 to 0 MPH	162 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Telluride LX/X-Pro’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 Yukon SLE’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Telluride SX 4x4 handles at .81 G’s, while the Yukon Denali 4x4 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Telluride SX 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.3 seconds quicker than the Yukon AT4 4x4 (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 30.6 seconds @ .51 average G’s).

Chassis

The Kia Telluride may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1350 to 1450 pounds less than the GMC Yukon.

The Telluride is 1 foot, 1.1 inches shorter than the Yukon, making the Telluride easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Telluride is 7.6 inches shorter in height than the Yukon, making the Telluride much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Telluride’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Yukon uses body-on-frame design instead.

Passenger Space

The Telluride has 1.3 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear legroom than the Yukon.

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

The front step up height for the Telluride is 3.7 inches lower than the Yukon (19.5” vs. 23.2”). The Telluride’s rear step up height is 4.2 inches lower than the Yukon’s (19.3” vs. 23.5”).

Cargo Capacity

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 Yukon’s liftover is 37 inches.

Ergonomics

The Telluride’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Yukon’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

The Telluride has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Yukon doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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

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

Economic Advantages

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 54.84% to 55.57% of its original price after five years, while the Yukon only retains 51.37% to 52.71%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Telluride is less expensive to operate than the Yukon because it costs $37 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Telluride than the Yukon, including $9 less for a water pump, $405 less for a muffler, $69 less for a fuel pump and $269 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Telluride will be $18516 to $25075 less than for the GMC Yukon.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Kia Telluride as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Telluride second among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Yukon was rated third in its category.

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

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Telluride as the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Yukon has never been chosen.

The Kia Telluride outsold the GMC Yukon/Yukon XL by 21% during 2022.

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