Compare the2026 Jeep Grand WagoneerVS 2027 Kia Telluride

The Grand Wagoneer’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 Jeep Grand Wagoneer has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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 Grand Wagoneer has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Jeep Grand Wagoneer achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Kia Telluride has not been tested.

Both the Grand Wagoneer 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, available all-wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer weighs 668 to 1794 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Wagoneer for 5 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Telluride.

There are almost 3 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Wagoneer’s warranty.

The Grand Wagoneer’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder produces 146 more horsepower (420 vs. 274) and 157 lbs.-ft. more torque (468 vs. 311) than the Telluride’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Grand Wagoneer’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder produces 91 more horsepower (420 vs. 329) and 129 lbs.-ft. more torque (468 vs. 339) than the Telluride’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Wagoneer’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 hybrid produces 318 more horsepower (647 vs. 329) and 281 lbs.-ft. more torque (620 vs. 339) than the Telluride’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Grand Wagoneer turbo 6 cyl. is faster than the Kia Telluride 4 cyl. hybrid gas:

The Grand Wagoneer has 8.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (26.5 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Grand Wagoneer has 7.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride’s standard fuel tank (26.5 vs. 19 gallons).

The Grand Wagoneer 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.

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

For better traction, the Grand Wagoneer has larger standard tires than the Telluride (275/55R20 vs. 235/65R18). The Grand Wagoneer’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (285/45R22 vs. 265/45R21).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Wagoneer offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Telluride’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer’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 Grand Wagoneer 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 Grand Wagoneer 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.

The Grand Wagoneer offers an optional 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 Grand Wagoneer’s wheelbase is 6.1 inches longer than on the Telluride (123 inches vs. 116.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Grand Wagoneer is 1 inch wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Telluride.

For greater off-road capability the Grand Wagoneer has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (8.4 vs. 7.4 inches), allowing the Grand Wagoneer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Grand Wagoneer Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 1 inch higher than on the Telluride X-Pro (10.1 vs. 9.1 inches).

The Grand Wagoneer uses 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 Grand Wagoneer 4x4 is quieter than the Telluride SX Prestige (67 vs. 68 dB).

The Grand Wagoneer has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 4.5 inches more front shoulder room, 4 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.6 inches more third row headroom, 4.5 inches more third row legroom and 9.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Telluride.

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

The Grand Wagoneer’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (6030 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Telluride is only 5000 pounds. The Grand Wagoneer 4x4 offers up to a 10,000 lbs. towing capacity.

While the Telluride Hybrid can only tow 4500, any Grand Wagoneer can tow a minimum of 6030 pounds.

The Grand Wagoneer Quadra-Trac II 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 Grand Wagoneer can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Telluride can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The engine in the Grand Wagoneer is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Telluride. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Telluride SX/Prestige, the Grand Wagoneer Summit has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, foot pedal distance, outside mirror angle and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Grand Wagoneer’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.

The Grand Wagoneer’s standard Keyless Enter-N-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from 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 doors.

The Grand Wagoneer’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 avoid possible obstacles, the Grand Wagoneer has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Grand Wagoneer’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 Grand Wagoneer 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 Jeep Grand Wagoneer has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the driver’s visor. 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.