Compare the2025 Nissan ArmadaVS 2025 Kia Telluride

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Armada 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.

The Nissan Armada 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.

The Armada Platinum Reserve 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.

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

The Nissan Armada weighs 1222 to 1977 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Armada’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Telluride runs out after 100,000 miles.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Armada for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Telluride.

There are over 36 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Armada’s warranty.

The Armada’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 134 more horsepower (425 vs. 291) and 254 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Armada’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 Armada has 4.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (23.6 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Armada, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Telluride.

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

The Armada’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.

For better traction, the Armada has larger standard tires than the Telluride (265/70R18 vs. 245/60R18). The Armada SL/Platinum’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (275/60R20 vs. 245/60R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Armada Platinum Reserve has standard 22-inch wheels. The Telluride’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Nissan Armada’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 Armada 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 Armada’s wheelbase is 6.9 inches longer than on the Telluride (121.1 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Armada SV has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (9.6 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Armada to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Armada SL’s minimum ground clearance is 1.5 inches higher than on the Telluride X-Line (9.9 vs. 8.4 inches).

The Armada has 6.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Telluride (161.1 vs. 155).

The Armada has .7 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear hip room, 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.5 inches more third row legroom, 8 inches more third row hip room and 7.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Telluride.

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

The Armada 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 Armada and the Telluride offer second row automatic folding seats. The Armada SL/Platinum/PRO-4X’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.

The Armada’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (8500 vs. 5000 pounds).

The engine in the Armada 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.

The Armada’s standard Infiniti Intelligent Key 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 Armada’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.

The Armada’s 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 Armada Platinum Reserve has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Telluride.