Toyota Grand Highlander Vs Kia Telluride: Which Is Bigger & How Do They Differ?

If you're looking for a spacious, three-row SUV, there are a lot of choices. By our count, there are at least 10 popular eight-seater SUVs available right now. Two of the top performers in the class are the Toyota Grand Highlander and the Kia Telluride, and in our recent reviews we gave both the Grand Highlander and the Telluride pretty high marks for comfort, cargo space, and tech. With a full carpool of kids to drive around, though, you might be most concerned with which of these two SUVs is bigger and which one has more space on the inside.

From nose to tail, the Telluride measures 196.9 inches long. The Grand Highlander is ever-so-slightly longer at 201.4 inches. In terms of headroom and legroom, there are only the slightest differences between the two SUVs and cargo space is a similar story. Behind the Telluride's third row of seating, it offers 21 cubic feet of cargo space, which should be enough for a few small suitcase, while if you fold down the first and second row, it expands to 87 cubic feet. 

The Grand Highlander has similar seats-up space, with 20.6 cubic feet of storage in the trunk, but fold the seats down, and it goes up to a total of 97.5 cubic feet of storage space — a decent advantage if you're moving lots of packages. It's a close match in terms of size, but when it comes to fuel economy and pricing, the competition heats up.

Under the hood of the 2025 Telluride is a 3.8-liter V6 engine that produces 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. There's some appeal to the simplicity of a one-powertrain platform, but the Grand Highlander offers more choice and much better fuel economy. Standard versions of the Grand Highlander come with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 256 hp and 310 lb-ft – a close match to the Kia powertrain. Grand Highlander Hybrids use a 2.5-liter engine combined with a hybrid system, with a combined output of 245 hp. Higher end Hybrid MAX models, however, attach the hybrid component to the 2.4-liter turbo engine, resulting in 362 hp and 400 lb-ft — impressive numbers for a family SUV in this segment.

Kia

EPA estimates put the front-wheel drive Telluride at 22 mpg combined (20 city/26 highway) and all-wheel drive models drop to a rating of 20 mpg combined. The Grand Highlander has a significant advantage here, thanks to the hybrid powertrain. According to the EPA, hybrid-powered models range between 27 mpg combined and 36 mpg combined. That latter number is seriously impressive for a three-row SUV of any kind. Models with the standard 2.4-liter powertrain are predictably a bit lower, ranging between 22 and 27 mpg combined. Essentially, the Telluride tops out at the bottom of the Grand Highlander's fuel economy range — a big win for the Toyota, and it's no surprise that it ranks as one of the most fuel-efficient three-row SUVs.

The Grand Highlander is the bigger, more upscale version of Toyota's standard Highlander, so naturally, it's a bit pricier. Prices for the Grand Highlander start at $42,310 (including $1,450 destination fee) for base models with front-wheel drive and the standard 2.4-liter engine. All-wheel drive is a $1,600 option. On top trim levels like the Platinum, all-wheel drive is standard, along with lots of creature comforts, such as heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, a larger 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 10-inch color heads-up display, and a panoramic sunroof, but the price leaps to well over $60,000. Luckily, there are several other available trim levels to choose from.

There's no available powertrain upgrade with the Telluride, but it does have more reasonable upfront pricing. Base Telluride LX models have a starting price of $37,805, including a$1,415 destination fee. Upgrading to all-wheel drive on the Telluride isn't possible on the base trim level, but on other trims, it costs $2,000. Pricing on top-trim versions of the Telluride, like the SX Prestige X-Pro, are more reasonable than topped-out Grand Highlanders, with the Kia checking in at $55,100. The Telluride doesn't lose much in the way of features, either — it also offers ventilated seats, a big touchscreen display, and a dual sunroof. It's a tight race, so your preference for lower upfront pricing or the long-term benefits of better fuel economy will have to do battle before you decide which one of these three-row SUV wins.