Starting at
Starting at
| 300-400 | Horsepower | 291 |
| 310-415 lb-ft | Torque | 262 lb-ft |
| 21/28 | MPG city/hwy | 20/26 |
For getting to work each day, driving your family around town, and enjoying your days off, an SUV is the perfect type of vehicle. These days, there are tons of different SUVs out there in a wide range of sizes and styles; among these, few are as popular and functional as three-row SUVs that give you plenty of seating inside. With a three-row SUV, you get lots of room for your passengers and everything you need to bring along with you in a vehicle that is not quite as large as a full-size model. Looking at what is out there, it can be helpful to compare different models, like the 2024 Ford Explorer vs 2024 Kia Telluride, to see what each has to offer.
In terms of power and performance, you might not be looking for a powerful truck-worthy engine in your next SUV, but you deserve something that ensures you have a good time on the road each day. This is even more important with a large SUV like this. The Kia Telluride has a single engine: a 291-hp V6 that is pretty good but not exceptional. By comparison, Ford gives you two engines available for the Explorer, giving you more options to ensure you get the kind of power and performance you are looking for. Plus, the standard engine delivers 300 hp for enhanced capability compared to what Kia offers. Looking at the available 400-hp engine for the 2024 Explorer shows us that Ford’s model is simply on another level.
Beyond this impressive performance, which allows for greater fuel efficiency than Kia’s model, we might add that you also get a spacious and incredibly comfortable interior from Ford. The Kia Telluride has three rows of seating inside, but the front row has about 41 inches of legroom, and the third row has just over 31 inches of legroom. Inside the Ford Explorer, however, you get 43 inches of legroom up front and more than 32 inches of legroom in the rear seats, ensuring you and your passengers have extra space where you need it. Plus, you get a bit more cargo space behind the second and third rows inside the Ford Explorer, ensuring you have all the room you need for your daily commute, getting kids to school, and enjoying your weekend.
The engine might not be the first thing you think about when looking at an SUV for your family, but it still matters. Even if you are not looking for the kind of power you would want in a sports car or full-size truck, you still need something that makes driving around each day enjoyable. More than that, with a three-row SUV like these two models, you need to know it has the power to get you where you are going. The last thing you ever want is to drive uphill and find yourself saying a little prayer that your SUV can get to where you need to go.
Kia is known for making good vehicles, including SUVs, but they are not necessarily known for making the most remarkable engines on the market. The 2024 Kia Telluride is a good example of this: it has a standard 3.8L V6 engine that offers 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. That is a fine starting point, though the torque is a bit low for a large SUV like this. The problem is that there is only this one option; if there was a second engine with more power, we would be a lot happier with what Kia offers.
By comparison, Ford provides a standard 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged I-4 engine in the 2024 Explorer with 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. You can already see that this is more powerful than Kia’s engine; the torque is particularly impressive and important for getting a big vehicle like this going. For boosted performance, there is an available 3.0L turbocharged V6 engine that delivers 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque and both of these engines come with a 10-speed automatic for a responsive drive every day. The standard engine for the Explorer also gets better fuel economy than Kia’s engine, which saves you money and lets you go longer between stops for gas.
SUVs are great for a number of reasons, but one of the biggest reasons many people choose these vehicles over other types is for their functionality. There is nothing quite like the large interior space provided by an SUV to ensure you can bring along friends and family, plus all the stuff you need to load up. This is particularly true with a three-row SUV since you have more room inside for the people you care about. Both of these vehicles offer a good amount of space inside, but you get a bit more functional space with the design of the Ford Explorer.
The 2024 Kia Telluride has three rows of seats for up to eight people in some setups, though that means a second-row bench seat. In terms of the kind of room you get inside for your passengers, the Telluride offers about 40 inches of headroom up front with similar space in the second row and about 38 inches of rear headroom. There are just over 41 inches of front legroom and about 31 inches of legroom in the third row, which can feel a bit tight. For the stuff you need to bring with you, Kia designed the Telluride with 21 cu.ft. of rear cargo volume, 46 cu.ft. of space behind the second row, and 87 cu.ft. of total cargo volume.
Inside the 2024 Ford Explorer, you also get three rows of seating, but you will find some key differences in how it is arranged. For starters, the Explorer has seven-passenger seating, which ensures everyone inside is as comfortable as possible. Supporting this is that you get similar headroom throughout the interior compared to the Telluride, but the Explorer has 43 inches of legroom up front and more than 32 inches of third-row legroom. That might not seem like a huge difference, but anyone with long legs knows what a difference even an inch makes for comfort.
The Explorer also has more than 87 cu.ft. of total cargo volume available, with almost 48 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the second row, showcasing how it is designed with you and your passengers in mind. Overall, this creates a comfortable interior that is as functional as it is stylish and it is perfect for families of all shapes and sizes.
One of the most important things to consider when shopping for a vehicle is how well it keeps you comfortable and ensures you have a good time on the road each day. That is where the interior features come into play. For example, the 2024 Telluride has a standard six-way manual driver’s seat that is fine but not nearly as comfortable as it could be. A 4.2-inch instrument display is standard in the Kia Telluride, along with a six-speaker sound system, though an upgraded 10-speaker audio system is available. Dual-Zone Climate Control is standard on all Telluride models, while other tech features like a power driver’s seat are available and found on higher trim levels.
The 2024 Ford Explorer has similar tech and comfort features in some ways, though there are also key upgrades in several areas. For example, standard features on the Explorer include an eight-way power driver’s seat that is more adjustable than Kia’s standard seating, along with Tri-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control to ensure everyone inside your vehicle is comfortable. A 4.2-inch LCD productivity screen is standard along with a six-speaker sound system in the Explorer. If you check out higher trims, however, then you can get enhanced features like a 10.1-inch infotainment display, 12.3-inch Digital Productivity Screen, and a 12-speaker B&O sound system, plus gorgeous Del Rio leather seating and much more to ensure you and all of your passengers have an amazing experience every time you hit the road.
As you can see, while there is nothing particularly wrong with the Kia Telluride, Ford simply gives you more to enjoy and get the most from with the Explorer. There are plenty of reasons so many drivers choose the Explorer year after year, and all it takes is one test drive of the Explorer to start seeing and experiencing them all. Whether you already know a three-row SUV is perfect for you or you are still figuring things out and interested in a number of different Ford SUVs, we are ready to help. With one of our friendly and helpful salespeople by your side, it is easy to explore the full Ford lineup, check out what each model has to offer, and make sure you get the perfect SUV with everything you have been looking for.
Here at DePaula Ford we believe in providing you with an unbeatable shopping experience that focuses on what you need above anything else. The most important thing to us is knowing that you drive away in a vehicle you love, with all of the features and options you want in a vehicle. Our financing experts are committed to making the financing process as simple and hassle-free as possible, so you do not have to worry about a thing, and our service center and parts department will be here to take great care of your ride for many years to come. Call or visit us at DePaula Ford today to learn more and let us show you a better way to shop for the perfect SUV with everything you need.
*Images, fuel economy, and other stats, may reflect higher trim levels, options, or features that may result in a higher cost from the starting MSRP.
MSRP excludes tax, license, registration, additional options, and possible destination charges. Dealers set own prices.
