2022 Toyota Highlander vs. Telluride Comparison

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Mid-size SUVs, like the 2022 Toyota Highlander and the 2022 Kia Telluride, offer plenty of seating space for passengers and cargo areas with room for hauling your things. These two vehicles share many similarities, including the availability and convenience of a power liftgate, which makes storage and loading a breeze.

When it comes to performance, both vehicles offer strong acceleration on the road and a responsive driving feel. The Toyota Highlander is available with a gas-saving hybrid trim that has an EPA-estimated 36/35/36 (City/Highway/Combined) fuel economy rating, but the Telluride isn’t offered in a fuel-saving hybrid trim.

As for towing capacity, both the Toyota Highlander and the Kia Telluride have a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, and their fuel capacities are close: with an EPA-estimated 21 miles per gallon in the city for the Toyota Highlander, compared to an EPA-estimated 20 miles per gallon for the Kia Telluride.

When you’re taking your loved ones for a drive, you expect your SUV to be safe and reliable. The Toyota Highlander and KIA Telluride are both vehicles that deliver in this area as both vehicles have excellent safety ratings. Plus, because these vehicles are larger, they have seating capacity for taking up to 8, plenty for taking you, your friends, and family on adventures.

The Highlander and Telluride come with suites of active safety features to help you and your loved ones stay safe, and Roadside Assistance plans offer an extra layer of assurance in the event of an emergency.

Ready to learn more about these competitors? Let’s explore the features of the 2022 Toyota Highlander and Kia Telluride to see which offers more of the features you want in your next SUV.

Published Date: 11/03/2022

Explore Toyota Highlander

Safety and Reliability

The Highlander and Telluride both come with active safety suites to help you stay safe when you’re driving. The Highlander comes with Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+) and the Telluride comes with Kia Drive Wise.
The Highlander and Telluride also both come with Roadside Assistance to help you out if the unexpected happens.
The Highlander comes with the ToyotaCare factory-scheduled maintenance plan. If you choose the Telluride, you can also get a maintenance plan, but it costs extra.

The 2022 Highlander and Kia Telluride both come with a variety of active and passive features to help keep you safe on the road. Some safety features that are mutual to both models include rear view and backup cameras to help provide a better view.

2022 Highlander and Telluride Safety Features

Both of these SUVs come with exceptional safety features, like the features included with Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+) and Kia Drive Wise. Some comparable safety features on Toyota and Kia SUVs include lane-departure warning and forward-collision warning.

Safety Features Comparison

No matter which model you choose, you can rest assured knowing that each one comes with a suite of active safety and passive safety features, giving you peace of mind whether you’re on or off the road. Additionally, the Highlander comes with LED headlights, and the base model Telluride LX is equipped with halogen headlights.

To get LED headlights with the Telluride, you would need to spend more to upgrade to a higher trim.

Roadside Assistance Comparison

Both the 2022 Toyota Highlander and the Kia Telluride help you prepare for the unexpected. The Highlander comes with a Roadside Assistance package that covers you for unlimited mileage for 24 months.

The Telluride is also covered by a Roadside Assistance package. Kia's Roadside Assistance plan covers the Telluride for up to 60,000 miles and as long as 60 months. So, you get Roadside Assistance coverage for more months with the Telluride, but you’re limited on mileage.

Maintenance Plan Comparison

Keeping your vehicle in good condition with routine maintenance can help it retain its value and help keep it running smoothly. The Highlander comes with the ToyotaCare maintenance plan to help keep your ride in peak condition. This plan covers your new Highlander for 2 years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.

You can also get a maintenance plan to help keep your 2022 Telluride in top condition, but you would have to pay extra to get Kia’s maintenance package.

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Performance

The Toyota Highlander delivers up to 295 hp while you get up to 291 hp from the Kia Telluride.
The Highlander and Telluride are both powerful performers, with each having up to 5,000-lb. of towing capacity.
The Highlander and Telluride are close when it comes to fuel economy ratings, with the Highlander L slightly in the lead with an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of up to 21/29/24 (City/Highway/Combined).

With a vehicle like the 2022 Toyota Highlander or 2022 Kia Telluride, performance is a key detail for drivers. With these available all-wheel drive vehicles, you can expect a lot of upscale functionality; however, when you rely on your ride, you want to know what kind of performance to expect. Check out the details below.

Highlander and Telluride Performance

When it comes to power, the competition between these available all-wheel drive vehicles is close. However, the base model Highlander comes in ahead of the base model Telluride by a close margin.

Horsepower and Torque Comparison

The Highlander L puts 295 hp and 263 ft. lb. of torque at your command, while the Telluride LX offers drivers 291 hp and 262 ft. lb. of torque.

Towing Capacity Comparison

When you have a heavy load to tow, your vehicle's towing capacity is important information. Both models deliver on this metric. The Highlander has 3,500 lb. of towing capacity on the base model. The Telluride has 5,000 lb. of towing capacity. The Toyota Highlander also gives you the option to get a trailer hitch as an OEM feature, but a trailer hitch is not listed as an OEM option with the 2022 Telluride.

Fuel Economy Comparison

The Highlander L wins for fuel economy with an EPA-estimated 21/29/24 (City/Highway/Combined) mpg rating compared to the EPA-estimated 20/26/23 mpg rating of the front-wheel-drive Telluride. Additionally, the Highlander is available in a gas-saving hybrid trim that helps you go even more miles between fill ups.

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Interior

The 2022 Highlander comes with Android Auto,™ Apple CarPlay,® and Amazon Alexa compatibility, plus a USB media port, four USB charging ports, and a 3-month Platinum Plan trial subscription to SiriusXM®.
With the Highlander, you have the option to upgrade to a higher trim that comes with a 12.3-in. touchscreen with 11 JBL speakers.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander offers a bit more interior space than you get with the 2022 Kia Telluride.

These competitors both offer numerous interior comfort features, including large touchscreens and spacious seating areas. The Toyota Highlander comes with available heated and cooled front seats, leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel, and a panoramic sunroof in some trim options; whereas the Kia Telluride comes standard with cloth seats, the chrome package, and heated front seats.

Highlander and Telluride Interior Amenities

The Highlander comes with an 8.0-in. touchscreen and six speakers. It also comes with Android Auto,™ Apple CarPlay,® and Amazon Alexa compatibility, as well as a USB media port, four USB charging ports, and a 3-month Platinum Plan trial subscription to SiriusXM®.

Interior Technology Comparison

The Highlander also has a 12.3-in. touchscreen with 11 JBL speakers available on higher trims. The Telluride has 10.25-in. touchscreen and one extra charging port, but it doesn’t come with Amazon Alexa or a 3-month Platinum Plan trial of SiriusXM. Both models also have a front and rear camera, as well as Bluetooth® connectivity and USB media interfaces.

Comfort Features Comparison

Interior convenience features, like cup holders, can enhance your time on the road. The 2022 Toyota Highlander comes with a total of 14 cup and bottle holders, and the Telluride comes with four cup holders and two bottle holders. The 2022 Highlander has available heated and ventilated front seats to help keep you comfortable in any type of weather. The Telluride has standard heated front seats for a warm, comfortable ride when temperatures drop.

Interior Space Comparison

The Telluride and Highlander are mid-size SUVs with seating for up to eight and plenty of room to stretch out. The Highlander does have a bit more headroom for the driver and front passenger, with 41.2 inches of headroom in the Highlander compared to 40.9 inches in the Telluride. You also get 42 inches of legroom in the Highlander compared to 41.4 inches of legroom in the Telluride.

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Conclusion: Highlander vs. Telluride

The Telluride and Highlander are both loaded with features that help make your time on the road safe and comfortable. Both vehicles are worthy of a closer look, but we think the choice between them is clear. The Toyota Highlander comes off the line with an abundance of features to give you an excellent driving experience.

With the 2022 Highlander, you get 295 horsepower compared to the 291 horsepower you get with the Telluride.
The 2022 Highlander comes with a full suite of active safety features in Toyota Safety Sense™ 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+).
With the 2022 Toyota Highlander, you get the ToyotaCare factory-scheduled maintenance plan at no extra cost.
The Highlander L has an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of up to 21/29/24 (City/Highway/Combined).
The base model Toyota Highlander comes with 3,500-lb. of towing capacity, while you get 5,000-lb. of towing capacity with the Telluride.
You can upgrade to a 12.3-in. touchscreen with 11 JBL speakers when you choose one of the higher Toyota Highlander trims.