Compare the2024 Cadillac EscaladeVS 2024 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

Safety

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The Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Telluride doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Escalade has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Telluride doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Telluride doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Escalade and the Telluride 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, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Cadillac Escalade weighs 1180 to 1881 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac Escalade is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	Escalade	Telluride
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	146	281
Neck Injury Risk	23%	27%
Leg Forces (l/r)	152/161 lbs.	164/998 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	233	378
Neck Compression	66 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 Cadillac Escalade is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	Escalade	Telluride
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	41
Hip Force	118 lbs.	440 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	88	137
Spine Acceleration	24 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	248 lbs.	449 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches
HIC	239	450
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	52 G’s

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

Warranty

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

Reliability

The Escalade 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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escalade first among large premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Telluride isn’t in the top three in its category.

Engine

The Escalade’s 6.2 V8 produces 129 more horsepower (420 vs. 291) and 198 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

The Escalade’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 198 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Cadillac Escalade is faster than the Kia Telluride:

	Escalade	Telluride
Zero to 30 MPH	2 sec	2.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6 sec	7.1 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	15.6 sec	17.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.5 sec	7.1 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.3 sec	3.7 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	4.2 sec	4.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.5 sec	15.4 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Escalade
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Diesel	21 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Diesel	20 city/26 hwy
Telluride
	FWD	3.8 DOHC V6	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.8 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escalade V8’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 Escalade’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 Escalade has 5.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (24 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Escalade 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 available on the Cadillac Escalade, 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 Escalade’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Telluride:

	Escalade	Escalade	Telluride
Front Rotors	13.5 inches	16.1 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	13.6 inches	12 inches

The Escalade’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 Escalade stops shorter than the Telluride:

	Escalade	Telluride
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	177 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	122 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Escalade has larger tires than the Telluride (275/50R22 vs. 245/60R18).

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Telluride LX/X-Pro. The Telluride’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Cadillac Escalade’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Kia Telluride only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Escalade 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.

The Escalade has a standard 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.

Suspension and Handling

The Escalade 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escalade’s wheelbase is 6.7 inches longer than on the Telluride (120.9 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escalade is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than on the Telluride.

The Escalade’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.1% to 49.9%) than the Telluride’s (55% to 45%). This gives the Escalade more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Escalade Air Suspension has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride X-Line (10 vs. 8.4 inches), allowing the Escalade to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Escalade (except Diesel) 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.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Escalade Sport Platinum 4WD is quieter than the Telluride SX 4x4 (66 vs. 67 dB).

Passenger Space

The Escalade has 13.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Telluride (168.4 vs. 155).

The Escalade has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front legroom, 2.8 inches more front hip room, 3.9 inches more front shoulder room, 3.2 inches more rear hip room, 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room, .1 inches more third row headroom, 3.5 inches more third row legroom, 5.7 inches more third row hip room and 7.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Telluride.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Escalade	Telluride
Behind Third Seat	25.5 cubic feet	21 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	72.9 cubic feet	46 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	121 cubic feet	87 cubic feet

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

	Escalade	Telluride
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	24”/54”/89.5”	20.4”/49.8”/83.8”
Max Width	49.5”	54.4”
Min Width	49.4”	43.5”
Height	36.5”	34.5”

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

Towing

The Escalade’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (8000 vs. 5000 pounds).

The Escalade 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escalade can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Telluride can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Escalade 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 46% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

The Escalade’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Telluride does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the windows are left open on the Escalade the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Telluride can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Escalade’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Escalade’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 Escalade has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Telluride.

The Escalade Platinum 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 Cadillac Escalade has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Telluride S/EX/SX offers wireless charging.

The Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport’s Adaptive Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Telluride doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Escalade owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Escalade with a number “5” insurance rate while the Telluride is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Escalade is less expensive to operate than the Telluride because typical repairs cost less on the Escalade than the Telluride, including $104 less for a water pump, $37 less for front brake pads, $104 less for a starter and $24 less for fuel injection.