2024 Kia Telluride vs 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport carried a modernist, reductive design approach, favoring clean and simple lines that might not appeal to those seeking ostentatious luxury. Land Rover’s offerings to make the Range Rover Sport more flashy were limited, contributing to its understated elegance. Our test vehicle was finished in Eiger Gray with silver 23-inch wheels and a Black Exterior Pack, presenting a dignified appearance even without the optional black-painted roof.

Inside, the interior featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, exuding understated luxury. Soft and perforated Windsor leather adorned the cabin with an unmistakable fragrance of decadence. The technology-loaded yet subtly luxurious interior included heated and ventilated front seats, a Cold Climate Pack, a Technology Pack, and several other features that brought the MSRP to $98,420, including destination charges.

The 2024 Kia Telluride, available in various trims, offered a more accessible price range, starting from $35,990 to $53,185 without destination charges. Our SX Prestige X-Line test car, priced at $54,270, featured extra-cost Wolf Gray paint and floor mats. The Wolf Gray paint complemented the blacked-out X-Line styling, maintaining the Telluride’s fundamental attractive forms. The interior boasted premium Nappa leather seats, though the black color was less appealing. Depending on the trim, interior options included Mahogany brown, Terracotta brown, light gray over black, dark blue, and Sage Green.

The Land Rover's look underlined sophistication with premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED taillights. Additionally, the design emphasized aerodynamics with a 0.29 drag coefficient. In contrast, the Telluride showcased good looks that attracted buyers with no overwhelming design changes but maintaining its notable attractiveness.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement and driver-focused engagement, often conflicting goals. The turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine delivered 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque in the SE P360 trim and 395 hp with 406 lb-ft in the SE Dynamic P400 model. A PHEV version in the Autobiography P440e offered 434 hp, complemented by a 51-mile electric-only range. The test vehicle's 395-hp inline-six confirmed its quick acceleration, promising a credible 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds. The Range Rover Sport achieved 21 mpg combined with 22.3 mpg on the evaluation route and 25.1 mpg on longer drives.

The Kia Telluride's 3.8-liter V6 engine, producing 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, made it powerful enough for easy highway merging and passing. The AWD versions towed 5,000 pounds, with the X-Pro package adding heavy-duty cooling for a 5,500-pound capacity. The Telluride, despite lacking a hybrid option, provided quick and refined performance alongside decent athleticism in its handling. However, its fuel economy averaged just 19 mpg in mixed driving conditions.

Although the Land Rover excelled off-road with 11.1 inches of ground clearance and multiple off-road features, the Kia, with 8.4 inches of ground clearance with X-Line and X-Pro packages, exceeded expectations in off-road capability, if not quite matching the Land Rover's prowess.

Driving the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport granted a tall, airy feel encapsulated by the brand's Command Driving Position. Features like programmable air suspension facilitated easy entry and exit. The front seats adorned with Windsor leather offered 20-way power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The rear seats, although improved, remained tight for taller passengers. The cargo area offered 31.9 cubic feet, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The Kia Telluride excelled in comfort, especially in higher trims like the SX Prestige X-Line, featuring premium Nappa leather, adjustable front seats with lumbar massage, and heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs. Its intuitive 12.3-inch touchscreen and various thoughtful details, such as a blue-light filter, enhanced the experience. Cargo capacity was generous at 21 cubic feet behind the third row, 46 cubic feet with the third row down, and a maximum of 87 cubic feet, outshining the Range Rover Sport.

Every Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment system was often confusing and frustrating. Features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa were standard, but the digital assistant frequently failed to respond accurately. The Meridian audio system and Active Noise Cancellation stood out positively, though.

Conversely, the Telluride’s 12.3-inch touchscreen system, although lacking wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, delivered a smooth user experience. Kia Connect provided various useful features via subscription, and the sound system offered good quality. Innovative features like a blue-light filter for reduced eye strain, Quiet Mode, voice projection, and a digital key function added thoughtful conveniences.

The Range Rover Sport packed numerous advanced safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and more. However, its adaptive cruise control and steering assist systems often fell short in responsiveness and reliability. Raised expectations fell flat, mired by its semi-autonomous driving technologies' poor performance in certain conditions.

The Kia Telluride came equipped with an impressive roster of standard safety features under the Kia Drive Wise banner, including collision avoidance and blind-spot monitoring. The Highway Driving Assist 2.0 added semi-autonomous lane-changing but showed inconsistent performance in certain scenarios. Nevertheless, the Telluride earned top safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS, ensuring peace of mind.