Many months, the Ford Explorer is America’s best-selling midsize SUV. But the Kia Telluride tends to take home more awards — including our Best Buy Award in the class every year from 2019 through 2024 (we’re still testing cars for our 2025 awards).
The Telluride enters 2025 with few changes. This year’s Explorer gets what the auto industry calls a midcycle refresh. That means a nip and tuck to its appearance and some updated cabin technology.
It hasn’t made choosing between these two any easier. Both remain highly versatile vehicles that can serve as a family car, a tow vehicle, and a secure ride in foul weather.
There are key differences that make one solution the right answer for some buyers and the other the right answer for others. Let’s explore (sorry) those contrasts.
2025 Kia Telluride
We’ve named the Kia Telluride a Kelley Blue Book Best Buy every year since its debut in 2020. It enters the 2025 model year with just a few tweaks — new second-row side airbags, a higher towing capacity for the X-Pro all-wheel drive (AWD) model, and a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen on SX trims and above.
But what works best about the Tellie hasn’t changed. It still gets spacious seating for eight, a standard 291-horsepower V6, and an incredible selection of trims (10 to choose from) that let you tailor the right model for you. Pricing starts at $37,585 (including a mandatory $1,395 destination fee).
Kia Telluride Highlights
Roomy cabin with 3-seat third row: Many midsize SUVs seat just two in the second row. The Telluride’s rearmost bench is designed for three. Look closely at the specification table below, and you’ll note that the Telluride packs three seats into roughly the same space the Explorer uses for two. That means seating back there is tight for three adults. But if you’re carrying kids, you’ll have the option to seat more of them with the Telluride. Its seating is also stadium-style, meaning the rear seats sit a little higher than the front. That gives them a better view and makes communication easier.
Higher available towing capacity: Base models of both SUVs tow 5,000 pounds. But the EX-X-Pro and SXP X-Pro editions of the Telluride can pull 5,500 safely. If you’ll use your next SUV to tow regularly, you might be better off with the Kia.
Outstanding warranty: The best reason to buy any Kia remains its industry-leading warranty. Coverage includes a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty — and roadside assistance for the same term — plus a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Your Telluride won’t surprise you with expensive drivetrain repairs for an entire decade.
Off-Road Models: Kia builds the Telluride in a pair of light off-roading editions, the X-line models, and a pair of more capable heavier off-road models, the X-Pro models. Strangely, when Ford remade the Explorer for 2025, it dropped the trail-oriented Timberline edition from the lineup. We expect Ford to correct that by introducing a new trail-ready model later in the model year. But, for now, if you want to hit the trail in your next SUV, your Kia dealer can accommodate you with a Telluride, and your Ford dealer has to point you away from the Explorer.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Telluride models for sale near you.
2025 Ford Explorer
Ford updates the classic Explorer for 2025 with a new face and an interior makeover. Changes are subtle, but are we out of line for saying this car juts its jaw forward like Popeye the Sailor now? Each trim gets its own grille.
Bigger changes come inside, where designers moved the dashboard forward to create more passenger space. The result is one of the few midsize SUVs that outdoes the Telluride for passenger space. Ford says it upgraded interior materials to be softer to the touch and updated technology inside to allow web surfing, YouTube, Prime Video, and video games with a PS5 controller on the touchscreen when parked.
A punchy 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder and 10-speed automatic transmission are standard. If you want more, Ford can also sell you a twin-turbo V6 version. Pricing starts at $42,450, including a mandatory $1,595 destination fee.
Ford Explorer Highlights
Power and fuel economy: The base model Explorer uses a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that is both more powerful and more fuel efficient than the V6 found in the Telluride. It makes 300 hp (nine more than the Kia) but gets 24 mpg in combined driving (two more).
Twin-turbo V6: If you want more power than the base model offers, Kia can’t help you. Tellurides are built with just one engine. Ford, however, offers a twin-turbo V6 making 400 hp and 415 lb-ft. of torque in higher-level Explorer trims.
Comfortable for larger drivers: Most people will be perfectly comfortable behind the wheel of either car. But Ford, in its 2025 refresh, gave the Explorer more legroom and shoulder room in the front row. Taller drivers might want to consider the long-haul comfort of a few extra inches.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Explorer models for sale near you.
Similarities
These two are similar in size, only 9 hp apart in their base trims, and both wear a rugged, boxy look. Both make wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on every trim level.
Conclusion
If neither of these stands out as the obvious choice to you, we recommend you test drive both. Living with either is fairly similar.
Some buyers will find the Explorer’s larger front seat dimensions make up their minds for them. Others might see the Telluride’s lower price and longer warranty and conclude it makes more financial sense. Either will be a pleasant place to commute and a capable hauler for weekend errands.
Few drivers will go wrong with either one.
New 2025 Kia Telluride Prices
|
Retail Price
|
Fair Purchase Price (31791)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
$37,805 |
$36,512 |
|||
$40,805 |
$39,540 |
|||
$43,505 |
$42,456 |
|||
$47,605 |
$46,291 |
|||
$47,900 |
$46,740 |
|||
$48,800 |
$46,940 |
|||
$51,300 |
$49,786 |
|||
$52,805 |
$51,205 |
|||
$54,200 |
$52,546 |
|||
$55,100 |
$53,507 |
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Kia Telluride vehicles and New 2025 Ford Explorer vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.
Specifications
| 2025 Kia Telluride | 2025 Ford Explorer | |
| Popular Powertrain | ||
| Engine | 3.8-liter V6 | Turbo 2.3-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 291 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 300 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm | 310 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Fuel economy | 22 mpg combined (20 city, 26 highway) | 24 mpg combined (20 city, 29 highway) |
| Also Available | AWD | Twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6, AWD |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 10 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5 stars | TBD |
| Max Seating Capacity | 8 | 7 |
| Wheelbase | 114.2 inches | 119.1 inches |
| Overall Length | 196.9 inches | 198.7 inches |
| Width | 78.3 inches | 78.9 inches |
| Height | 69.3 inches | 69.6 inches |
| Headroom, Front | 40.9 inches | 40.7 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 40.2 inches | 40.5 inches |
| Headroom, 3rd Row | 38.1 inches | 38.9 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.4 inches | 43.0 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 42.4 inches | 39.0 inches |
| Legroom, 3rd Row | 31.4 inches | 32.2 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 61.6 inches | 62.1 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 61.2 inches | 61.9 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 3rd Row | 55.3 inches | 54.6 inches |
| Cargo Volume Behind 3rd Row | 21.0 cubic feet | 16.3 cubic feet |
| Cargo Volume Behind 2nd Row | 46.0 cubic feet | 46.0 cubic feet |
| Cargo Volume Behind 1st Row | 87.0 cubic feet | 85.8 cubic feet |
