Telluride is one of the trendiest SUVs of the moment, and it comes with impressive technologies on the base model. Being new in the market, the durability and long-lasting reliability of the Telluride cannot be ascertained at the moment. However, it’s a great ride sold at a reasonable price – you will easily love the ride.
Chevy Traverse, on the other hand, is a full-size SUV with lots of space for passengers and cargo. The SUV is one of the most popular models in the U.S. and doesn’t slack in features and technologies.
Being over ten years since the first Traverse launched, the reliability of the SUV is certain, and many would easily bank on it over the Telluride.
Notwithstanding, the Telluride compares to the Traverse in different ways, and here’s a detailed comparison of the Kia Telluride vs Chevy Traverse – you’ll get to love this article.
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Kia Telluride
Flashy, classy, high-end, premium quality – that’s what the Kia Telluride represents. It is a thoughtfully-designed SUV featuring high ground clearance and a sturdy drivetrain to take you through any path for your adventures. The Kia Telluride is a premium – not luxury – SUV with classical features and techs as you’d see on luxury SUVs.
Kia Telluride is built as a three-row mid-size crossover SUV, providing space for up to seven passengers (eight if you choose “Bench” third-row), and it offers a decently-roomy cargo area. The SUV can go through any off-road, and the interior is well furnished with leatherette material.
Although new to the market, the Kia Telluride has made it to the top spots on many listings regarding third-row or mid-size SUVs. The secret is its enchanting exterior and interior design, coupled with the low price for entry-level trims.
Chevy Traverse
The Chevrolet Traverse is a full-size crossover SUV with three-row seating built by General Motors since 2008 – under its Chevy brand. Traverse shares the same platform with GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave; it is built as a successor to the TrailBlazer body-on-frame SUV and Uplander minivan.
Currently in its second generation, the Chevy Traverse SUV is well-finished on the outside and properly furnished on the inside. This SUV features different powertrain and engine options, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission (for the first-generation models) or 9-speed 9T65 transmission (for the second-gen models).
You can drive the Chevy Traverse through any off-road terrain – it has slightly higher ground clearance than some of its alternatives. Also, being a full-size SUV, the Traverse offers so much passenger and cargo space.
Kia Telluride Vs Chevy Traverse
| Model/Feature | Kia Telluride | Chevy Traverse |
| Seat rows | Three | Three |
| Engine Options | 3.8L V6 gasoline | 3.6L LFY V6 and 2.0L LTG turbo I4 |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 9-speed automatic |
| Trim Levels | LX, S, EX, SX, X-Line, and X-Pro | L, L.S., L.T. Cloth, L.T. Leather, Premier, High County, R.S., and Redline Edition. |
| Horsepower | 291 | 301 |
| Fuel Economy | 20 city / 26 highway | 18 city / 27 highway |
| Rating (J.D. Power) | 84 out of 100 | 84 out of 100 |
| Towing Capacity | 5,000 pounds | 5,000 pounds |
| Price | $31,000 – $44,000 | $31,000 – $56,000 |
Note: These numbers and figures are largely based on the latest models of the Telluride and Traverse.
Engine Performance
The Telluride has just one engine option: a 3.8L V6 gasoline engine, which produces up to 291 horsepower at 6000rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque at 5200rpm.
This is quite a lot of power for any kind of driving. Kia Telluride’s V6 delivers optimal performance and accelerates pretty quickly – it goes from 0 to 60mph in 7.2 seconds.
On the other hand, the Traverse comes with two engine options for the second-generation models, and they are all gasoline engines. The standard 3.6L V6 engine produces up to 310 horsepower at 6800rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque at 2800rpm.
Apparently, the Traverse gives you more power than the Telluride; it can go from 0-60mph in just 6.9 seconds.
Powertrain and Drivetrain
Both the Telluride and Traverse come standard with V6 gasoline engines paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission (for the Telluride) and a 9-speed automatic transmission (for the Traverse).
In addition, the Traverse offers four different driving modes: Sport, Snow/Ice, Off-road, and AWD mode for different driving conditions. Chevy Traverse includes G.M.’s StabiliTrak tech for traction control and stability.
On the other hand, the Telluride can also go off-road and hit snowy paths. On the Telluride, you have four driving modes: Comfort, Eco, Sport, and Smart for different driving conditions.
You can also lock in AWD mode or Snow mode when there’s a need for that. A Torque Vectoring Cornering Control tech is standard on the Telluride to ensure stability.
Fuel Economy
Regarding the fuel economy comparison, the difference between these vehicles is almost insignificant. In AWD mode, the Traverse has a rated fuel economy of 17 mpg in city driving and 20 mpg in highway driving. On the FWD mode, it has 18mpg in city driving and 27mpg on highways.
The Telluride fuel economy ratings are close to that of the Traverse; 20mpg in the city and 26mpg on the highway. While on AWD, you get 19 and 24 miles per gallon for city and highway, respectively. Both SUVs, to an extent, offer decent fuel economy.
Interior Features and Infotainment
The interior of an SUV is one of the things many buyers would consider when buying a new one. Some buyers may go ahead to buy upgrade kits or purchase a higher trim level just to get the type of interior décor they want.
Kia Telluride comes with a leatherette interior across all trims and models. It also features a standard 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen system across all models, with support for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and hands-free Bluetooth connectivity.
The Traverse comes with a much small infotainment touchscreen system, which is about 8.0-inch; however, it includes support for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and hands-free Bluetooth. Chevy Traverse comes standard with leather upholstery for the 2023 model.
The Traverse and Telluride offer many advanced features and a HiFi audio system for music playback. Asides from the Telluride offering a bigger touchscreen, the infotainment features of these two rides are practically the same.
Seating and Cargo Space
Kia Telluride offers seating space for up to eight passengers if you pick a bench third-row instead of the usual captain seats. The Traverse doesn’t have such an option, so it’s stuck with offering seating space for only seven passengers, which is an edge for the Telluride over the Traverse. But all the same, they’re both three-row SUVs.
The Telluride offers much more legroom than the Traverse. You can fold the second and third rows on these vehicles if you need bigger/longer cargo space. Basically, you’d get 21 cubic feet of cargo space with all the seats in place for the Telluride and 46 cubic feet of cargo space if you fold the third row.
On the other hand, you’d get 23 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row on Chevy Traverse, and with the third row folded, you get 57.8 cubic feet, which is much more than what Telluride offers.
Price
The “Price Factor” remains one of the most considered factors when buying a new car. Well, the Telluride is quite affordable – between $30,000 and $34,000, depending on the model year – if you’re buying the base model, but if you’re going for the higher trims, the price goes above $42,000 depending on the exact trim level and model year.
Chevy Traverse has its base model starting at $31,000 for older model years, while newer model years start at $34,000. The highest trim level for the Traverse sells for around $54,000 for the 2022 model.
Arguably, you’d get the Telluride and Traverse at the same price offer for the base models; the difference starts kicking in when you’re going for higher trim levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Telluride Bigger Than a Traverse?
Firstly, the Telluride is classified in the mid-size category, and the Traverse is classified in the full-size category; this gives you a hint that the Traverse should be bigger than the Telluride. Well, the Traverse offers roomier cargo space than the Telluride, but the Telluride offers a more spacious passenger area than the Traverse.
What Kia is Comparable to a Chevy Traverse?
The Telluride SUV is the closest Kia model to compare with the Chevrolet Traverse. Kia Telluride offers a lot of space, provides seating space for up to seven passengers, and comes with a ton of features, as you’d see on the Traverse.
Why is the Kia Telluride Rated So High?
The Telluride deserves its popularity; it’s a decent ride with multiple features and enough space for the family. Ever since its debut in 2018, the Telluride has challenged many notable SUV models that have championed the markets earlier. Telluride comes with a fleet of safety features and a sturdy drivetrain.
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