Compare the2025 Cadillac EscaladeVS 2025 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

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/11/23

The Cadillac Escalade 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.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade (except Luxury) helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera 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, driver knee 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The Cadillac Escalade weighs 1352 to 1880 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 longer than the Telluride’s (6/100,000 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 second among large premium suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Telluride was rated third 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.

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escalade’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 standard 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 standard tires than the Telluride (275/50R22 vs. 245/60R18). The Escalade’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (285/40R24 vs. 245/60R18).

The Escalade’s standard 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. The Escalade’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 Escalade has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Telluride LX/X-Pro. The Escalade’s optional 24-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Telluride S/EX/SX.

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.

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 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 Escalade (except Luxury) offers available 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 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 inches more rear hip room, 3 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	120.5 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 (7900 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 fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 45% lower rating, Kia is ranked 24th.

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 standard Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Key standard on the Telluride doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

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 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 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 Cadillac Escalade has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Telluride EX/SX.

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 and optional massaging second row seats. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Telluride.

The Cadillac Escalade has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the overhead console. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Kia charges extra for Homelink® on 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 also offers Qi charging for two devices in the second row seat. The Telluride doesn’t offer wireless charging in its second row seat.

The Escalade’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.