Compare the2023 Acura MDXVS 2023 Kia Telluride

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Acura MDX 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 Acura MDX 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 MDX and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 Acura MDX is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	MDX	Telluride
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	244	281
Leg Forces (l/r)	463/521 lbs.	164/998 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	288	378
Neck Injury Risk	30%	36%
Neck Stress	122 lbs.	131 lbs.
Neck Compression	75 lbs.	91 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 Acura MDX is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	MDX	Telluride
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	226 lbs.	440 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	168 lbs.	449 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	52 G’s
Hip Force	424 lbs.	640 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Acura MDX is safer than the Telluride:

	MDX	Telluride
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	156 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	1026 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

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

Acura pays for scheduled maintenance on the MDX for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Acura will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Telluride.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura 1 place higher in reliability than Kia.

Engine

The MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (267 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 64 more horsepower (355 vs. 291) and 92 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Acura MDX is faster than the Kia Telluride:

	MDX V6	MDX Type S	Telluride
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	5.4 sec	7.1 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.6 sec	5.8 sec	7.1 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.6 sec	3.3 sec	3.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	14 sec	15.4 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the MDX 3.5 SOHC V6 SH-AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Telluride 4x4 (19 city/25 hwy vs. 18 city/24 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the MDX’s fuel efficiency. The Telluride doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the MDX’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Telluride doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The MDX has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Telluride doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Acura MDX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Telluride.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	MDX	MDX Type S	Telluride
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	14.3 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13 inches	12 inches

The MDX stops shorter than the Telluride:

	MDX	Telluride
70 to 0 MPH	170 feet	177 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the MDX has larger standard tires than the Telluride (255/55R19 vs. 245/60R18). The MDX Type S’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (275/40R21 vs. 245/60R18).

The MDX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Telluride LX/X-Pro’s standard 60 series tires. The MDX Type S’ tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Telluride S/EX/SX’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MDX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Telluride LX/X-Pro. The MDX Type S’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Telluride S/EX/SX.

The MDX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Telluride doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the MDX can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Telluride doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

Suspension and Handling

The MDX 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 MDX Type S handles at .87 G’s, while the Telluride SX 4x4 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The MDX SH-AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the MDX Type S has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride X-Line/X-Pro (9.4 vs. 8.4 inches), allowing the MDX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The MDX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Telluride doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The MDX has .2 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room and .3 inches more front shoulder room than the Telluride.

Cargo Capacity

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

	MDX	Telluride
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	46 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	95 cubic feet	87 cubic feet

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 37% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Telluride SX, the MDX offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

If the windows are left open on the MDX 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 MDX’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Telluride’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The MDX’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.

The MDX Type S Advance has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Telluride.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Acura MDX has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Telluride S/EX/SX offers wireless charging.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Acura MDX and the Kia Telluride, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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