2024 Kia Telluride vs. 2023 Ford Explorer Comparison

The Ford Explorer is the classic 3-row midsize SUV. On the market since 1991, it has proven to be flexible family transportation for millions.

The Kia Telluride, however, has won our Best Buy Award in the 3-row SUV category in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Let’s see how these two capable, comfortable 3-row SUVs compare. Note that this article compares the 2024 version of the Telluride and the 2023 version of the Explorer because those are the models dealers have in stock today.

2024 Kia Telluride

The Kia Telluride is our top-rated 3-row midsize SUV. Roomy and capable, it’s well-equipped even as a base model. But Kia also sells it in off-road-oriented trims and as a near-luxury vehicle with creature comforts like heated and ventilated seats and a high-end sound system. The closest thing to a drawback we can find with the Telluride is availability – Kia dealers have trouble keeping them in stock. For 2024, prices start at $35,990.

Kia Telluride Highlights

Up-to-date, stylish cabin: Kia designers have been crafting some of the auto industry’s best interiors in recent years. The Telluride’s interior looks high-tech and stylish. The driver’s instrument panel and central touchscreen sit side-by-side in a single bezel, so they look like one wide, curved screen. Its infotainment system receives over-the-air updates to stay current. Buyers even have more flexibility with interior colors than most competitors offer.

Configure it to your tastes: Ford builds the Explorer in eight trim levels – more than most rivals. But Kia builds the Telluride in a remarkable 10. They include a well-equipped but affordable base model, a top-of-the-line model that could almost pass for a luxury vehicle, and a pair of off-road models of increasing capability. Kia also offers more exterior colors and interior material combinations than Ford does on the Explorer.

The longest warranty in the business: Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile comprehensive warranty and 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty are the longest in the auto industry. Americans are keeping their cars longer than ever, meaning more buyers have to consider surprise repair bills eight or nine years into ownership. That makes a longer warranty a strong consideration for many shoppers.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Telluride models for sale near you.

2023 Ford Explorer

Ford didn’t invent the midsize SUV when it created the Explorer. But it would probably be the photo next to the encyclopedia article on the form. It’s been one of America’s best-selling vehicles for almost three decades. Today’s Explorer is a flexible platform available with three different powertrains, including a hybrid model. Prices start at $36,760.

Ford Explorer Highlights

Choice of powertrains: Kia builds just one engine into the Telluride – a 3.8-liter V6 making 291 horsepower. Ford gives you a choice. The base model uses a 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder making 300 horsepower. Those needing more power can have a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 making 400 horsepower. There’s also a hybrid (more on that in a moment). Unlike most rivals, the Explorer comes with rear-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive.

Available hybrid model: Ford builds an Explorer that gets 27 mpg in combined driving – well over the 22 mpg of the Telluride. Kia, curiously, builds a lot of excellent hybrids, but not a Telluride hybrid. If you need three rows of seating and want to spend less on gas, though, Kia dealers can soon point you to the excellent all-electric Kia EV9.

Complimentary maintenance: Ford gives Explorer buyers 42,000 points to spend in its FordPass Rewards program. You can trade them for many things, including complimentary scheduled maintenance.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Chevrolet Traverse models for sale near you.

Similarities

The 2024 Kia Telluride and 2023 Ford Explorer have almost identical cabin measurements, similar starting prices, and can be optioned with all-wheel drive.

Conclusion

The Ford Explorer is the iconic midsize SUV, and in 2023, it’s available in a wide variety of configurations. Three hundred and 400 horsepower versions give buyers options, and a hybrid version lets you bypass the pump more often.

But the Kia Telluride outranks it on our Best 3-Row Midsize SUVs list because of its wonderful balance of traits, perhaps the best interior in its class, and a set of warranties that protect buyers over the long haul.

Your shopping priorities will tell you which one is right for you.

Specs