Compare the2023 Ford ExplorerVS 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
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Ford Explorer 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 Ford Explorer 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 Explorer has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Explorer 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, 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 Ford Explorer is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	Explorer	Telluride
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	125	281
Neck Injury Risk	26.3%	27%
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	275 lbs.
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	32 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	164/998 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	318	378
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	36%

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 Ford Explorer is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	Explorer	Telluride
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	224 lbs.	440 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	86	137
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	47 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	288	450
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	52 G’s
Hip Force	573 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 Ford Explorer is safer than the Telluride:

	Explorer	Telluride
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	156 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.18 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	6 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	982 lbs.	1026 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.46 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

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

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

Reliability

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Telluride doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Explorer’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (300 vs. 291) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Explorer’s optional 3.3 DOHC V6 hybrid produces 27 more horsepower (318 vs. 291) and 60 lbs.-ft. more torque (322 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Explorer’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 produces 109 more horsepower (400 vs. 291) and 153 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Explorer turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia Telluride:

	Explorer	Telluride
Zero to 30 MPH	2.2 sec	2.5 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	7.2 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	10.7 sec	11.5 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.3 sec	3.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	15.4 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Explorer
	RWD	3.3 V6 Hybrid	27 city/28 hwy
		Platinum 3.3 V6 Hybrid	25 city/26 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
	AWD	3.3 V6 Hybrid	23 city/26 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
		Platinum 3.3 V6 Hybrid	23 city/24 hwy
Telluride
	FWD	3.8 DOHC V6	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.8 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy

The Explorer can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 3 miles. The Telluride can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Explorer Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Telluride doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Explorer’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 Explorer V6 Turbo’s standard fuel tank has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (20.2 vs. 18.8 gallons).

The Explorer 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 Ford Explorer, 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 Explorer’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Telluride:

	Explorer	Explorer ST	Telluride
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	14.3 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	13.8 inches	12 inches

The Explorer ST’s optional 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 Explorer stops much shorter than the Telluride:

	Explorer	Telluride
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	177 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Explorer has larger standard tires than the Telluride (255/65R18 vs. 245/60R18). The Explorer’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (275/45R21 vs. 245/60R18).

The Explorer’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Telluride S/EX/SX’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Explorer offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Telluride’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer 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 Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Telluride doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Explorer’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the Telluride (119.1 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Explorer’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the Telluride’s (55.7% to 44.3%). This gives the Explorer more stable handling and braking.

The Explorer ST 4WD handles at .86 G’s, while the Telluride SX 4x4 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Explorer ST 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (26.4 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Explorer Timberline has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride X-Line/X-Pro (8.7 vs. 8.4 inches), allowing the Explorer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Explorer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Telluride doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Explorer Hybrid 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.

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

Passenger Space

The Explorer has 1.6 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room, .7 inches more rear shoulder room, .8 inches more third row headroom and .8 inches more third row legroom than the Telluride.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Explorer	Telluride
Third Seat Folded	47.9 cubic feet	46 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	87.8 cubic feet	87 cubic feet

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

	Explorer	Telluride
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	20.8”/49.8”/83.9”	20.4”/49.8”/83.8”
Max Width	59”	54.4”
Min Width	48.1”	43.5”
Height	33.7”	34.5”

The Explorer 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.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Telluride is limited to 5000 pounds. The Explorer offers up to a 5600 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Explorer 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.

Ergonomics

On a hot day the Explorer’s driver can lower all the windows 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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Telluride doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Explorer’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 Explorer’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.

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

The Explorer’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.

The Explorer ST/King Ranch/Platinum offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Telluride.

The Explorer ST/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Telluride doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Explorer is less expensive to operate than the Telluride because it costs $336 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Explorer than the Telluride, including $19 less for a water pump, $101 less for front brake pads, $202 less for a starter, $187 less for fuel injection, $119 less for a fuel pump, $139 less for front struts, $119 less for a timing belt/chain and $167 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Ford Explorer outsold the Kia Telluride by over two to one during 2022.