Compare the2026 Ford ExplorerVS 2027 Kia Telluride

The Explorer has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Explorer and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 Ford Explorer achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2026 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, pedestrian crash prevention testing, and vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention testing. The Telluride has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2026.

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

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Telluride doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Explorer’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 26 more horsepower (300 vs. 274) than the Telluride’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Explorer’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 produces 71 more horsepower (400 vs. 329) and 76 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 339) than the Telluride’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Explorer is faster than the Kia Telluride 4 cyl. hybrid gas:

On the EPA test cycle the Explorer gets better mileage than the Telluride:

The Explorer 3.0L EcoBoost V6’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride’s standard fuel tank (20.2 vs. 19 gallons).

The Explorer 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.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Explorer, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Telluride.

For better stopping power the Explorer ST’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Telluride:

The Explorer stops much shorter than the Telluride:

For better traction, the Explorer has larger standard tires than the Telluride (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R18). The Explorer’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Telluride (275/45R21 vs. 265/45R21).

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Telluride doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Telluride doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Explorer’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the Telluride (119.1 inches vs. 116.9 inches).

The Explorer ST 4WD handles at .85 G’s, while the Telluride SX Prestige pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Explorer ST 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Telluride SX Prestige (26.4 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Explorer’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Telluride’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Explorer has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (7.6 vs. 7.4 inches), allowing the Explorer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Explorer offers available 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.

The Explorer has .7 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear shoulder room and 1.5 inches more third row headroom than the Telluride.

While the Telluride Hybrid can only tow 4000, any Explorer can tow a minimum of 5000 pounds.

The engine in the Explorer 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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Telluride doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Kia Connect can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Explorer’s standard Intelligent Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the 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 door.

The Explorer’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Telluride’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Explorer has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Explorer Platinum also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Explorer’s optional 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 Ford Explorer outsold the Kia Telluride by 81% during 2025.