Compare the2024 Kia TellurideVS 2023 Chevrolet Traverse

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

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Telluride 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 Chevrolet Traverse doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

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

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Telluride SX has standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Traverse doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Telluride has a standard blind spot warning system that 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 Traverse’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. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Traverse and the Traverse’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 Traverse doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Telluride and the Traverse have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 Chevrolet Traverse:

	Telluride	Traverse
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.9 inches

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, results indicate that the Kia Telluride is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Telluride	Traverse
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	41	69
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	93 lbs.	161 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	449 lbs.	716 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 Kia Telluride is safer than the Traverse:

	Telluride	Traverse
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	68	141
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	446 lbs.
Neck Compression	-45 lbs.	45 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.3 in
Shoulder Force	156 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	6 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head Injury Criterion	70	189
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	134 lbs.
Neck Compression	-67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.02 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	491 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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 Traverse last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Telluride has a standard 800-amp battery. The Traverse’s 600-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 12 points higher than the Traverse.

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 Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 11 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Telluride is faster than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Telluride	Traverse
Zero to 30 MPH	2.7 sec	3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.2 sec	7.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.5 sec	15.7 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Telluride FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Traverse FWD (20 city/26 hwy vs. 18 city/27 hwy).

The Telluride has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Traverse. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Telluride	Traverse
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.6 inches

The Telluride stops much shorter than the Traverse:

	Telluride	Traverse
70 to 0 MPH	162 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	136 feet	Consumer Reports

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 Traverse’s standard 65 series tires. The Telluride S/EX/SX’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Traverse’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Telluride has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Traverse’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

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

The Telluride SX 4x4 handles at .80 G’s, while the Traverse Premier AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Telluride SX 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Traverse Premier AWD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Telluride has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Traverse (8 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Telluride to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Telluride X-Line’s minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the Traverse (8.4 vs. 7.5 inches).

Chassis

The Telluride is 9 inches shorter than the Traverse, making the Telluride easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Telluride SX 4x4 is quieter than the Traverse High Country AWD:

	Telluride	Traverse
At idle	36 dB	41 dB
Full-Throttle	74 dB	76 dB
70 MPH Cruising	63 dB	67 dB

Passenger Space

The Telluride has .4 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 4 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear hip room than the Traverse.

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

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Telluride. The Traverse doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Telluride’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Traverse’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Telluride uses 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. The Traverse doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Telluride SX Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Traverse doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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

The Telluride SX Prestige’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Traverse’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Telluride’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Traverse’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

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

The Telluride has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Traverse doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Telluride owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Telluride with a number “8” insurance rate while the Traverse is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Telluride is less expensive to operate than the Traverse because typical repairs cost much less on the Telluride than the Traverse, including $60 less for a water pump, $25 less for front brake pads, $51 less for fuel injection, $4 less for a fuel pump and $264 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

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

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Kia Telluride SX 4x4 first. They ranked the Chevrolet Traverse Premier sixth.

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 Traverse isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Telluride was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 3 more times in the last 4 years. The Traverse has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

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

The Kia Telluride outsold the Chevrolet Traverse by 2926 units during 2022.

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