Compare the2024 Land Rover DiscoveryVS 2024 Kia Telluride

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Land Rover Discovery 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.

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

Both the Discovery and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Land Rover Discovery weighs 410 to 1011 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

The Discovery’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (296 vs. 291) and 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The Discovery P360’s optional 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 64 more horsepower (355 vs. 291) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Discovery P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Kia Telluride:

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Discovery’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 Discovery has 5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (23.8 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Discovery higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Telluride (5). This means the Discovery produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Telluride every 15,000 miles.

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

The Discovery’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 Discovery stops shorter than the Telluride:

For better traction, the Discovery has larger standard tires than the Telluride (255/55R20 vs. 245/60R18). The Discovery’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (285/40R22 vs. 245/60R18).

The Discovery’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 Discovery’s optional 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 Discovery has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Telluride LX/X-Pro. The Discovery’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Telluride S/EX/SX.

The Discovery offers an optional 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 front and rear suspension of the Discovery uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Telluride, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Discovery has a standard 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 Discovery Dynamic SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Telluride SX 4x4 (28.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Discovery has a 3.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (11.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Discovery to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Discovery’s minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the Telluride X-Line (11.1 vs. 8.4 inches).

The front grille of the Discovery 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.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Discovery when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the liftgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The Telluride doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Discovery 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.

Both the Discovery and the Telluride have standard second row automatic folding seats. The Discovery’s optional third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a button. The Telluride doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

The Discovery’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (5925 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Telluride is only 5000 pounds. The Discovery offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Discovery 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.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Telluride SX, the Discovery SE has a 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.

The Discovery’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Telluride’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Discovery to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Telluride doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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

The Discovery’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.

The Discovery has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Kia doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Telluride.

The Discovery Metropolitan offers optional 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 Land Rover Discovery has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Telluride S/EX/SX offers wireless charging.

The Discovery’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Telluride doesn’t offer an automated parking system.