2024 Kia Telluride vs 2024 Lexus TX

Kia offered the 2024 Telluride in five core trim levels: LX, S, EX, SX, and SX Prestige. The rugged X-Line treatment was available for all trims but the LX and S, while the X-Pro package was reserved for the top trims. The X-Line package gave the Telluride standard all-wheel drive (AWD) with a center locking differential, nearly half an inch more ground clearance, improved approach and departure angles, unique grille and 20-inch wheel designs, and roof rails.

The X-Pro package added 18-inch matte-black wheels with all-terrain tires and heavy-duty engine cooling, increasing the maximum towing capacity by 500 pounds to 5,500 pounds. Prices ranged from $35,990 for the LX to $53,185 for the SX Prestige with the X-Pro package, not including the destination charge. The SX Prestige with the X-Line package and extras had an MSRP of $54,270, including the $1,365 destination charge.

With good looks, the Telluride attracted buyers like pollen attracts bees. Though some weren’t won over by last year’s styling updates, the SUV’s attractive forms and proportions remained intact. The Wolf Gray paint looked excellent with the blacked-out X-Line styling, now including the previously gray grille surround and bumper details.

The test car's black interior featured premium Nappa leather seats but wasn’t the most appealing cabin color. Depending on the trim and exterior hue, the Telluride offered several interior colors such as Mahogany brown, Terracotta brown, light gray over black or dark blue, and Sage Green, which complemented the simulated open-pore wood trim. However, the shiny plastic covering the lower portions of the interior was a downside, especially in the otherwise luxurious SX Prestige, which nearly met luxury SUV standards with its soft leather, artificial suede headliner, 24-inch dual-screen digital display panel, metallic accents, and thoughtful details.

Lexus based the new 2024 TX on the Toyota Grand Highlander, making it distinctive enough to serve as a luxury SUV. The Lexus looked upscale compared to the Grand Highlander, which resembled a jumbo-sized RAV4. The test model, in Luxury trim, featured great-looking 22-inch silver wheels—an expensive option that improved the SUV’s appearance significantly.

TX’s styling was toned down compared to other Lexus models, making it more conservative, even bordering on anonymous. The new 2024 Lexus TX came in TX 350, TX 500h F Sport Performance, and TX 550h+ plug-in hybrid model series, with prices ranging from $55,050 to $69,350 (excluding destination charges). The TX 550h+ was still unreleased and expected to start over $75,000.

The test TX 350, likely the volume-selling version, was in Luxury trim with FWD and a base price of $60,950 including the destination charge. With a Convenience Package, Technology Package, 21-speaker surround-sound audio system, side puddle lamps, and rear cargo lamps, the MSRP totaled $67,869.

Luxury trim added upgraded ambient lighting and premium semi-aniline leather upholstery with artificial suede trim. The test vehicle’s Peppercorn interior—a dark brown almost indistinguishable from black—combined with black-grained trim, made the cabin feel too dark, even with the panoramic glass sunroof. However, the TX 350 Luxury model’s interior felt luxurious overall.

The Telluride delivered ample power, employing a 3.8-liter V6 engine that produced 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, channeled through an eight-speed automatic transmission to front or all four wheels. While most Tellurides could tow up to 5,000 pounds, the X-Pro package’s heavy-duty engine cooling boosted this rating to 5,500 lbs.

The AWD versions came with a locking center differential for balanced power distribution at low speeds, and included driving modes such as Snow, Comfort, Sport, and Smart. The ground clearance was 8.0 inches in standard spec, rising to 8.4 inches with X-Line and X-Pro packages, and featured self-leveling rear suspension.

Acceleration to freeway speeds was easy, and the Telluride had good passing power, though it wasn’t fuel-efficient. The EPA estimated 20 mpg for AWD models in combined driving, but testing revealed an average of just 19 mpg on a mountainous route and 17.5 mpg over a week of city driving.

Despite the lack of a hybrid drivetrain, the Telluride's driving experience was commendable. The SUV was quick and refined, with standard brake-induced Torque Vectoring Cornering Control enhancing its athletic feel in curves and corners. The steering was responsive, and the brakes resisted rumble, pulsing, and fade.

The ride quality was firm at lower speeds but soft and compliant at higher velocities, improving comfort during travel on winding roads. Off-road performance showed the Telluride’s capability in various conditions, making it more capable than one might expect for its class.

The Lexus TX 350 featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Though it seemed underpowered for a midsize, three-row, luxury SUV, it worked well for typical driving situations with no more than four people aboard. The engine produced 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, with a claimed 0-60 mph time of eight seconds (or 7.8 seconds with AWD). It felt quicker thanks to the torque swell, but performance was merely adequate.

The EPA rated the TX 350 FWD at 23 mpg in combined driving, a slight improvement over the old RX L with a 3.5-liter V6 engine. However, testing revealed an average of 20.4 mpg. AWD was a $1,600 option, offering slightly quicker acceleration and added traction in adverse conditions.

The TX 350’s ride and handling were well-balanced, with a suspension firm enough to feel the road yet compliant for comfort. Body motion control was commendable, and the steering was responsive and accurately weighted. The interior remained quiet on highways. An early-build pre-production test vehicle had a soft brake pedal that was easy to modulate.

The 2024 Kia Telluride offered a comfortable interior, especially in higher trim levels. The SX Prestige X-Line test vehicle featured premium Nappa leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats with numerous adjustments (including periodic lumbar massage), heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs, and an adult-capable third-row seat. The dual sunroof panels added light to the otherwise dark interior.

The horizontal control orientation made the standard 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system user-friendly, though the metallic finish buttons were hard to read on sunny days. The Telluride boasted numerous thoughtful features, such as the 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel displaying a scenic landscape that changed with the time of day.

Generous accessible storage included a covered cubby forward of the shifter, a smartphone tray, and roomy door panel bins. The hands-free power liftgate opened automatically after a few seconds, providing safety over foot-activated systems.

Cargo space was plentiful, with 21 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, 46 cubic feet with the seat folded, and a maximum volume of 87 cubic feet. The X-Line and X-Pro models offered practical roof rails for additional cargo.

Previous Lexus three-row SUVs often fell short, but the 2024 Lexus TX addressed those shortcomings. The TX 350 Luxury had premium semi-aniline leather and artificial suede upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The second-row bench seat was standard, with heated and ventilated captain’s chairs optional.

Front seats lacked massage functions but were supportive, while second-row seats were less welcoming due to their relatively flat lower cushion. However, triple-zone climate control, USB ports, and manual side window shades met segment expectations.

The third-row seat was habitable for adults, making the TX better than the old RX L and GX and more affordable than the LX. Sliding the second-row seat an inch forward provided enough comfort for third-row passengers without significantly compromising second-row comfort.

Numerous storage slots, cubbies, trays, and bins were scattered throughout the TX, though many lacked lining, potentially causing noise and vibration. Cargo space measured 20.2 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, expanding to 57.4 cubic feet with it folded and 97 cubic feet with all seats down.

Every 2024 Telluride featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a cable connection, and a subscription was needed for conversational voice recognition. The test vehicle had satellite radio, wireless smartphone charging, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

Kia offered four Connect plans, with the Lite plan free for five years. Care, Plus, and Ultimate plans included various features, with the Ultimate plan costing $199 annually. Kia Connect Voice Assist was part of the Ultimate package.

Thoughtful features included a blue-light filter for the infotainment screen, Quiet Mode for playing music only through front speakers, and a function delivering the driver’s voice to rear seat occupants through the speakers. A digital key turned the smartphone into a vehicle key, and a camera-based rearview mirror offered a clear view behind the SUV. A 10-inch head-up display and 360-degree camera system were also available, adding to the advanced features list.

The Lexus TX test vehicle had the optional Technology Package, which added a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, a surround-view camera, and a semi-autonomous parking assist system.

However, the package’s dual-purpose, unmarked steering wheel controls required referencing the head-up display, which was often invisible with polarized sunglasses. Consequently, this upgrade led to dissatisfaction.

The Lexus Interface infotainment system with its 14-inch touchscreen display was otherwise satisfactory, especially with the complimentary three-year Drive Connect subscription, which included cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant with impressive voice recognition.

Lexus Interface also included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additional subscriptions for up to 10 years covered various services, such as emergency calling, stolen vehicle locator, Wi-Fi hotspot, remote engine start, car finder function, and digital key access. The 21-speaker Mark Levinson PurePlay surround-sound system provided impressive fidelity.

The 2024 Telluride excelled in safety with its Kia Drive Wise driver assistance features, including collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear occupant protection. Highway Driving Assist (HDA) was standard, offering semi-autonomous driving with adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist.

Safety feature upgrades included front parking sensors, cross-traffic alert, evasive steering assist, lane-change assist, and automatic rear braking. The Blind-Spot View Monitor system displayed camera footage of blind spots in the digital instrumentation panel.

Highway Driving Assist 2.0 on higher trims added automatic lane changing. While the lane-change assist function worked well, the standard lane-keeping system was too intrusive. The Telluride earned a five-star overall crash test rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS.

The Lexus TX came equipped with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 (LSS+ 3.0), including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, road sign assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Proactive Drive Assist added braking and steering assistance to maintain safe distances and avoid obstacles.

Additional ADAS features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and safe exit assist. Options included front and rear parking sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist, which provided low-speed hands-free driving on limited-access highways.

LSS+ 3.0 worked smoothly and effectively but proved too dramatic in reaction when other motorists cut into the gap ahead, causing frustration for trailing drivers. The Lexus did not offer high-speed hands-free driving assist for the TX.