Compare the2024 Kia TellurideVS 2024 Lexus TX

Both the Telluride and TX 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 TX’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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Telluride has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the TX Premium/Luxury offers Parking Support Brake.

Both the Telluride and the TX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Kia Telluride is safer than the TX:

The Kia Telluride has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The TX is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

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 TX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Telluride 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lexus covers the TX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the TX ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Telluride’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is rated lower.

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 Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 6th.

The Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 16 more horsepower (291 vs. 275) than the TX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Telluride is faster than the TX 350 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Telluride uses regular unleaded gasoline. The TX requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Telluride has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the TX 550h+’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Telluride has a gallon more fuel capacity than the TX 350’s standard fuel tank (18.8 vs. 17.8 gallons).

The Telluride stops much shorter than the TX:

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

For greater off-road capability the Telluride has a greater minimum ground clearance than the TX 550h+ Luxury 4dr Sport Utility (8 vs. 7.7 inches), allowing the Telluride to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Telluride X-Line’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the TX 500h F Sport Performance Premium 4dr Sport Utility (8.4 vs. 8 inches).

The Kia Telluride may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 950 pounds less than the Lexus TX.

The Telluride is 6.2 inches shorter than the TX, making the Telluride easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Kia Telluride amounts to more than styling. The Telluride has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .34 Cd. That is lower than the TX (.34 to .35). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Telluride get better fuel mileage.

The Telluride has standard seating for 8 passengers; the TX can only carry up to 7.

The Telluride has 2.4 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 2.9 inches more rear legroom, 1.2 inches more rear hip room, 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room and .9 inches more third row headroom than the TX.

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

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

The Telluride was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 4 more times in the last 5 years. The TX 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 TX 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 TX has never been chosen.

The Kia Telluride outsold the Lexus TX by almost 14 to one during 2023.