2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained its distinctive and elegant appearance, characterized by a steeply angled windshield and rear window, a gently sloping roofline, and large upright body sections with minimal creases. Its trendy styling elements included pop-out door handles and a wide taillight strip. The clamshell hood sat atop a narrow section of lights and a small grille, contributing to a tall and blunt front end. Unlike many SUVs, the Range Rover Sport appeared narrow and tall, which was advantageous for off-road driving and interior headroom. The SV Carbon variant stood out with its two-tone hood featuring exposed carbon fiber, carbon garnishes, and enormous 23-inch carbon wheels, which were a work of art up close. The interior design evolved from the previous generation, featuring minimalist aesthetics with black plastic dominating the center stack and console. While the look and feel of the seat controls, steering wheel, and seats were top-notch, the lack of physical controls for climate and audio functions was a drawback.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold reinterpretation of its design, which polarized opinions with its flat, faceless grille spanning the entire front end. The vehicle's personality changed significantly depending on color and trim level, with body-colored vertical strakes at each edge. In darker shades, these strakes blended harmoniously, while in lighter colors, they appeared jarring. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced the strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile showcased unique faceted and angular fender sculpting, with unusual black plastic tabs atop each wheel well. The rear view adopted a different style, with rounded corners and vertical taillights reminiscent of the front accent lights. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout with a stark, buttonless modern appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim offered a luxurious two-tone palette, though the labeling on silver buttons and cream-colored infotainment shortcut buttons was difficult to read.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered three powertrains, each with two states of tune, depending on the trim. All gas-only trims featured a mild hybrid system with a small battery and a 48-volt electrical system. The standard engine on the SE was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The Dynamic SE added an electric supercharger, increasing output to 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. A plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 32-kilowatt-hour battery pack allowed up to 53 miles of gas-free driving, with a total output of 454 hp and 487 lb-ft in hybrid mode. The BMW-built V8 engine, available in the Twenty Edition and Autobiography trims, delivered 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The SV trims featured a 626 hp BMW V8 with a revised ECU tune, new intake, and sport exhaust system. The base six-cylinder powertrain achieved an EPA rating of 22 mpg combined, while the V8 dropped to 19 mpg combined. The Range Rover Sport excelled in handling, with adaptive dampers, air springs, and a completely revised air suspension system. The SV Carbon's handling was exceptional, rivaling high-performance SUVs, while maintaining a smooth ride.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The Telluride Hybrid added electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. The Hybrid was mated to a six-speed transmission and was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims. The Telluride Hybrid provided ample power and a quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas modes. Both Tellurides were tuned for comfort, delivering a smooth ride. The X-Pro Prestige trim offered surprising comfort with its lifted off-road suspension, while the Hybrid SX Prestige had a stiffer ride with its 20-inch wheels. The Telluride was composed and controllable on winding roads, instilling confidence in drivers. The brake pedal effort was soft, requiring some adjustment, but brake response was immediate during panic stops.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered ample space for five passengers, with generous legroom and headroom in all outboard positions. The front seats featured 20-way power adjustment, ventilation, and memory, while all seats were heated and electrically reclined. The cargo space behind the rear seats measured 31.9 cubic feet, with an available cargo divider to prevent items from moving. However, the 53 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded was small for a midsize SUV. The narrow door opening for rear passengers was a drawback, but the vehicle's towing capacity of 7,716 pounds was impressive. The lack of physical controls for climate and audio functions was a functional issue, as most functions were hidden in the touchscreen.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though smaller passengers were better suited to the rearmost row. The seat cushions were mounted low to the floor, reducing thigh support for adult-sized passengers. The Hybrid SX Prestige test vehicle featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, offering comfort comparable to business-class airline seats. The middle-row seats had significant travel fore and aft, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom. The Telluride could hold up to 22.3 cubic feet of cargo behind the third row, with a total capacity of 89.3 cubic feet with the second-row seatbacks folded flat. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride's towing capacity was 5,000 pounds, or 4,500 for the Hybrid.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.1-inch display with software that made basic functionality challenging but excelled at managing occasional features. The Wade Sensing app detected standing water, while the 4x4i app showed spring stroke levels and differential locking. The "Body and Soul" seats with vibrating speakers could be adjusted in another app. Apple CarPlay worked seamlessly in full screen, and the factory navigation and audio interface were user-friendly. The instrument panel offered configurable layouts, and the surround-view cameras were clear. The Meridian Signature stereo provided good sound quality, though not as clear as the full-size Range Rover's system.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The infotainment system was easy to use, though there were occasional delays and the screen required a firm tap. The middle climate control screen was difficult to use while driving, but physical temperature control buttons were available. The infotainment screen could be customized with themes from Kia's brand collaborations. A 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system delivered powerful bass and clear tones, while supporting trims featured an eight-speaker system.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, a surround-view camera system, and more. However, it lacked front knee airbags, a front central airbag, and rear side airbags. No crash-test ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA were available, but the Euro NCAP gave it a five-star rating.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured standard advanced safety features, including frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and more. Higher trims added a surround-view camera system, blind-spot camera system, and automatic reverse braking. The driver attention monitor had operational issues at night, and the blind-spot cameras were distracting. The highway driving assist was helpful on longer trips.