The Ford Explorer and the Kia Telluride are two incredible SUVs that can get you from Point A to Point B and beyond with ease. Having them by your side to get through Dallas, Plano, and Richardson, TX, is even better, but which one will you get greater use out of? Five Star Ford Dallas is here to compare the two in order to help you figure that out!
Ford Explorer vs Kia Telluride: Performance
Under the hoods of the Ford Explorer and the Kia Telluride, you’ll find a ton of power that will make your daily trips much more exciting. Checking out the Kia first, it comes with a 3.8L V6 engine that produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. While impressive, not only can you get more power in the Explorer, but you’ll have more options as well.
In the earlier Explorer trims, you’ll find a 2.3L I-4 EcoBoost® engine, which produces 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. If you upgrade to the ST trim, you’ll find a 3.0L V6 EcoBoost® engine that can produce 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. Finally, the Explorer offers a powerful 3.3L hybrid engine for its hybrid models that produces 318 horsepower and 322 lb-ft of torque.
As you can see, the Ford provides more engine options and more power than the Kia does.
Ford vs Kia: Convenience Features
Looking for a little extra help that can potentially save you some time and give you peace of mind? The Ford and the Kia are built to make life easier for you in tons of ways. Each vehicle features a surround-view monitor, so you can see everything around you and avoid objects in your way, as well as available smart-activated liftgates.
The Ford begins to pull ahead with an available tri-zone automatic climate control feature that controls the temperature in all three zones of the vehicle, whereas the Kia only offers dual-zone automatic climate control across three rows of seats.
Have you ever punctured a tire while driving and had to visit a shop to have it fixed? The Ford offers something unique to combat this—available Michelin® self-sealing tires that can seal punctures up to 6mm in the tread area. The Kia doesn’t have a feature quite like this.
Explorer vs Telluride: Interior Dimensions
Having enough space in your vehicle for you and your passengers is important. The beauty of the Explorer and the Telluride is that they were built with space in mind. The chart below will outline all the dimensions in each row of the Ford Explorer and the Kia Telluride.
| Ford Explorer (front/middle/rear) | Kia Telluride (front/middle/rear) | |
| Headroom | 40.7 in/40.5 in/38.9 in | 39.5 in/38.8 in/37.8 in |
| Legroom | 43 in/39 in/32.2 in | 41.4 in/42.4 in/31.4 in |
| Shoulder room | 61.8 in/61.9 in/54.6 in | 61.6 in/59.9 in/55.3 in |
| Hip room | 59.2 in/59.1 in/40.9 in | 58.9 in/58 in/43.7 in |
As you can see, the Ford Explorer far outpaces the Kia Telluride in the interior dimensions department, making it the more spacious vehicle you’ll need for your long drives.
Ford Explorer vs Kia Telluride: Winner
Based on performance, convenience features, and interior dimensions, Five Star Ford Dallas believes the Ford Explorer is a superior vehicle to the Kia Telluride. Ready to take the Explorer out for a test drive around Dallas, Plano, and Richardson, TX?
