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2025 Toyota Highlander vs. 2024 Kia Telluride: Which Three-Row SUV Fits Your Budget?

The Highlander offers a hybrid option; the Telluride publishes row-specific cargo figures and select AWD towing capacity up to 5,500 lb. Compare the exact trim, drivetrain, and listing.
From TheFinanceBase Team5 min to read
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The 2025 Toyota Highlander and 2024 Kia Telluride are different model years, so this is not a strict same-year comparison. The clearest documented distinction is powertrain choice: the Highlander is available as a hybrid, while the Telluride uses a 3.8-liter V6. Which is the better buy depends on the exact trim, drivetrain, seating layout, towing needs, and the price and condition of the vehicle you are considering.

At a glance: the 2025 Highlander vs. 2024 Telluride

Specification 2025 Toyota Highlander 2024 Kia Telluride
Powertrain Gas model: 2.4-liter turbo, 265 hp and 310 lb-ft; a hybrid is also offered. Toyota’s 2025 overview: features and specifications. 3.8-liter V6, 262 lb-ft. Kia’s 2024 technical specifications: Telluride specifications.
Published fuel economy Gas LE, XLE, and Limited FWD: 22/29 mpg city/highway estimates; some other gas configurations: 21/28. Hybrid XLE: 35/35 mpg city/highway. Toyota’s 2025 lineup. FWD: 20/26 mpg city/highway and 22 mpg combined; AWD: 18/24 mpg city/highway and 20 mpg combined. Kia’s 2024 specifications.
Seating Up to eight, with availability varying by vehicle. Toyota’s 2025 overview. Seven or eight, depending on trim. Kia’s 2024 specifications.
Cargo volume Up to 84.3 cu. ft. with the second and third rows folded; this is a maximum, not a behind-third-row figure. Toyota’s 2025 overview. 21 cu. ft. behind the third row, 46 behind the second, and 87 behind the first. Kia’s 2024 specifications.
Maximum published towing Up to 5,000 lb, subject to configuration. Toyota’s 2025 overview. Up to 5,000 lb on many configurations and 5,500 lb on select AWD trims. Check the exact trim in Kia’s 2024 specifications.

These are manufacturer-published specifications, not results from a controlled comparison. A number listed for one trim or drivetrain should not be assumed to apply to every vehicle with the same name.

Which three-row SUV gets better gas mileage?

The Highlander Hybrid XLE has the strongest listed fuel-economy figures in this comparison: Toyota estimates 35 mpg in both city and highway driving for that 2025 configuration. That rating is for the hybrid XLE, not every Highlander.

Among the listed gas configurations, Toyota estimates 22/29 mpg city/highway for the 2025 Highlander LE, XLE, and Limited with FWD; some other gas configurations are listed at 21/28. Kia’s 2024 Telluride specifications give 20/26 mpg for FWD and 18/24 for AWD. These ratings have different model years and depend on configuration, so compare the drivetrain and trim of the actual vehicles rather than treating either model’s best figure as universal.

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For a buyer weighing fuel costs, first decide whether the Highlander under consideration is a hybrid or gas model, then compare the applicable published estimate with the Telluride’s FWD or AWD rating. The listed ratings do not establish what a particular driver will spend; actual fuel use depends on driving and conditions.

How much cargo space is behind the third row?

Kia publishes row-specific cargo volumes for the 2024 Telluride: 21 cu. ft. behind the third row, 46 cu. ft. behind the second, and 87 cu. ft. behind the first. Toyota’s 84.3 cu. ft. figure for the 2025 Highlander is a maximum with both the second and third rows folded. Those figures describe different seat positions, so they are not a direct comparison of space available when all three rows are in use.

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If you regularly carry passengers in the third row, test the specific vehicle with that row raised and bring the bags, stroller, or other items you expect to carry. The shape and access of the remaining cargo area matter alongside the published volume.

How many people do they seat?

Toyota advertises seating for up to eight in the 2025 Highlander, while Kia lists seven- and eight-passenger configurations for the 2024 Telluride depending on trim. The passenger count alone does not tell you whether a vehicle has a second-row bench or captain’s chairs, or how easy it is to reach the third row. Verify the seating layout on the exact vehicle and try the intended child seats and passenger setup before buying.

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Which one can tow more?

Kia lists towing capacity up to 5,000 lb on many 2024 Telluride configurations and up to 5,500 lb on select AWD trims. Toyota lists up to 5,000 lb for the 2025 Highlander, with configuration caveats. The maximum Telluride figure is not representative of every trim, and the Highlander’s maximum should not be applied to every drivetrain or equipment package.

Before choosing either vehicle for towing, confirm the specific vehicle’s factory rating, drivetrain, and equipment against the manufacturer information and vehicle documentation. A headline maximum does not establish the rating of a particular listing.

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What do their prices tell you—and what do they not?

Toyota’s published 2025 base MSRPs were $40,320 for the Highlander LE, $43,470 for the XLE, and $47,575 for the Limited. Kia America’s 2023 announcement for the 2024 Telluride listed a $36,190 MSRP for the LX FWD, excluding a $1,395 destination charge. These are historical manufacturer prices for different model years and trim levels, not current transaction prices or a like-for-like price comparison. See Toyota’s 2025 lineup and Kia America’s 2024 pricing announcement.

For a purchase decision, compare actual listings in your market and account for model year, trim, drivetrain, mileage, condition, and included equipment. The published MSRPs do not establish current used-car value, depreciation, insurance costs, or repair costs.

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Safety equipment and the limits of a spec-sheet comparison

Toyota identifies Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ on the 2025 Highlander, including pre-collision detection with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, automatic high beams, road-sign assist, and lane-tracing assist. Toyota notes that feature availability can vary by trim; confirm the equipment on the specific vehicle. The available specifications here do not establish a feature-by-feature match with the Telluride or matched independent crash-test ratings for these exact model years, so they do not support naming a safety winner.

Manufacturer specifications also do not answer which SUV rides more comfortably, handles better, fits a particular car seat, or will cost less to own. Those questions require the exact vehicle, a careful inspection, or evidence beyond the published figures summarized here.

How to choose between the two

  • Prioritize fuel economy? Inspect a Highlander Hybrid and verify that the specific listing is the hybrid trim whose published rating you are using.
  • Want the Telluride’s V6 or its published row-by-row cargo figures? Check the exact trim, drivetrain, seating layout, and cargo space with the seats you need raised.
  • Need to tow? Use the rating for the actual vehicle and its factory configuration, not the model’s maximum headline figure.
  • Comparing affordability? Use same-market listings for the actual vehicles and treat historical MSRP as context, not as today’s price or value.
  • Carrying a full cabin? Test third-row access, seating comfort, child-seat fit, and how much luggage remains when all required seats are in use.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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