2020 Kia Telluride vs 2020 Subaru Outback

The 2020 Kia Telluride had a transformative design that aimed to erase Kia's reputation for cheap adequacy. It appeared more expensive than it was, but the Kia badge somewhat hurt its style. The Telluride's design was a blend of upscale elements, borrowing from leading SUVs while maintaining a unique identity. The exterior featured a boxy presence with fluid curves, vertical headlights, and a silver mesh grille. The interior was reminiscent of a Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, with high-quality materials and a luxurious feel, although some elements like the wood were not entirely real. The SX-trim with the Prestige Package added Nappa leather seats and a soft headliner, making it feel like a $60,000-$70,000 vehicle, though it cost $46,930 fully loaded.

The 2020 Subaru Outback aimed for incremental improvements while maintaining its winning formula of utility, safety, and performance. The sixth-gen Outback was built on Subaru’s Global Platform, increasing structural rigidity by 70%. The base 2.5-liter engine had 90% new parts, and higher trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine. The exterior changes were subtle, but the interior saw significant upgrades, including an 11.6-inch touchscreen for all but the base trim. The Outback also introduced DriverFocus, an innovative tech for detecting sleepy or distracted drivers. The Outback was offered in seven trims, with the XT trims featuring the turbo engine. The starting MSRP was $26,645, and the top-tier Touring XT was priced at $39,695.

The 2020 Kia Telluride came with a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It had an 8-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard and AWD as a $2,000 option. The transmission response was sometimes delayed and inconsistent, and the shifting felt rougher compared to competitors. However, the power was sufficient to move the Telluride's two-and-a-quarter tons quickly. The braking was strong, but the steering was slow, and there was noticeable body lean. The ride was smooth, aided by double-paned glass and acoustic insulation. The Telluride had a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds with the Towing package and an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined.

The 2020 Subaru Outback featured a base 2.5-liter engine with 182 horsepower, a 7-hp increase over 2019, and a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 260 hp and 277 pound-feet of torque for XT trims. The turbo engine allowed the Outback to hit 60 mph in around 7 seconds. Both engines were paired with a CVT, which Subaru tuned to act more like a traditional automatic transmission. The Outback's symmetrical AWD system provided consistent power delivery and better handling due to the boxer engine's low center of gravity. The Outback had 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it capable off-road, though it wasn't a Jeep. The upgraded X-Mode on the Onyx XT and hill-descent control enhanced its off-road capabilities.

The 2020 Kia Telluride could seat seven or eight passengers, depending on the trim. The base LX and EX trims seated eight, while the S and SX trims seated seven with reclining captain's chairs in the second row. The SX trim added heating and cooling for the second-row seats, manual side-window shades, and a third climate zone. All trims had air vents, USB ports, and cupholders for the second and third rows. The second row offered generous legroom, and the third row was tolerable for a 6-foot adult. Cargo capacity was 21 cubic feet with all seats raised and 87 cubic feet with them flat. The interior featured analog gauges, buttons, knobs, and a regular PRNDL shifter, with configurable infotainment menus and a 10.3-inch screen on EX and SX models.

The 2020 Subaru Outback offered 32.5 cubic feet of trunk space, expandable to 75.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The rear seats could be dropped via handles at the rear of the trunk. The Outback's interior was spacious, with ample legroom and headroom, even for taller passengers. The design prioritized visibility, with great sightlines in nearly every direction, though the rear quarters had a significant blind spot. The Outback's proportions contributed to better braking and handling, as well as a lower chance of rollover compared to SUVs.

The 2020 Kia Telluride came standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Kia's UVO link, which allowed remote car location and unlocking via an app. A proximity key was also standard. Upper trims with navigation had fast and accurate voice inputs and online search capabilities. However, the lack of onboard WiFi was a shortcoming. The SX trim featured a live feed of blind spots on the instrument cluster, Highway Driving Assist, a quiet mode, and an intercom for the third row. The SX also had bright LED headlights, dual moonroofs, and a Harman Kardon surround stereo. The standard 6-speaker stereo was less impressive.

The 2020 Subaru Outback featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen for all but the base trim, which had dual 7-inch screens. The screen was large and easy to navigate, but it suffered from lag in various functions, including navigation and radio station changes. The camera resolution was also subpar. Despite these issues, the system had potential and was visually appealing.

The 2020 Kia Telluride had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing, but it was expected to receive top scores. It came standard with a suite of active driver assists, including forward-collision alert, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, driver-attention monitor, and adaptive cruise control. Safe Exit Assist was also standard, preventing passengers from opening the rear doors if an approaching vehicle or object was detected. Surround-view cameras and front parking sensors were optional.

The 2020 Subaru Outback had a strong safety suite, including the standard AWD system. However, the DriverFocus system was disappointing, frequently giving false alerts. Subaru's EyeSight system, while standard, could be obstructed by various elements, causing it to turn off. Despite these issues, the Outback's safety features were impressive for the price.