Toyota 4Runner vs Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner shared a striking resemblance with the Tacoma pickup, especially from the front. It boasted a muscular appearance with pronounced haunches at each wheel and black wheel flares on the off-road models. The sheet metal was heavily creased and angled, with particularly deep creases along the sides. The grille sat high above a lower intake with an underbite, especially noticeable on the TRD Pro and Trailhunter models, which featured unique bumpers for improved approach angles. These models also had heritage-inspired front ends with "Toyota" lettering on the grille and an integrated light bar. The rear side windows extended into the roof, reminiscent of the original 4Runner from the 1980s. Wheel sizes varied from 18 to 20 inches. Inside, the 4Runner had a simple, utilitarian look with chunky control dials and an abundance of hard plastic, with only the center console bin cover and door armrests offering a softer touch. Cloth upholstery was standard, with synthetic leather available on higher trims, and leather upholstery reserved for the Limited and Platinum trims, though the cabin never quite achieved a high-end feel.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold reinterpretation of its design, which could polarize opinions. The grille, with its flat, almost faceless look, spanned the entire width of the front end and tended to divide opinions. The Telluride's personality changed significantly depending on color and trim level, with body-colored vertical strakes at each edge that could appear jarring in lighter colors but blended harmoniously in darker shades. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights flanking the grille. 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 that mimicked the front accent lights, resembling a Range Rover from behind. Inside, the Telluride's interior was far less controversial, with a simple horizontal dashboard layout and a stark, buttonless modern appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, equipped with the optional SX Prestige Executive package, featured a luxurious two-tone palette reminiscent of Volvo, though the labeling on the silver buttons and cream-colored infotainment shortcut buttons was difficult to read. The seats were covered in synthetic leather and suede, with somewhat flat and firm cushions, but the surrounding materials quality was excellent for the class.

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner offered a choice of two powertrains and rear-wheel drive (RWD) or two four-wheel-drive (4WD) systems. The base engine, known as i-Force, was a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder generating 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The i-Force Max hybrid system added an electric motor, increasing output to 326 hp and 465 lb-ft. The 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium tester featured the hybrid powertrain, which, despite its impressive torque figure, wasn't particularly quick, with a mid-to-low seven-second 0–60 mph time. The eight-speed automatic transmission was well-matched to the engine, with more aggressive tuning and throttle response in Sport mode. The 4Runner hybrid was adequate for daily needs but didn't quite meet expectations given its torque figure. However, the torque was beneficial for off-roading, providing the necessary power to tackle hills and ruts, especially in its low-range 4Lo setting with Crawl Control engaged. The 4Runner offered part-time or full-time 4WD, with the TRD Off-Road model featuring the part-time system and six Multi-Terrain System (MTS) drive modes for various terrains. The TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter models were serious off-roaders, but their on-road dynamics were compromised, with notable lean in corners and firm suspension.

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 fed by a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. It was mated to a six-speed transmission and was not offered in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims. The Telluride Hybrid provided ample power and was noticeably quieter, with a seamless transition between electric and gas power. The X-Pro Prestige trim offered a surprisingly comfortable ride, even 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 despite not being particularly sporty. The brake pedal effort was soft, requiring some adjustment, but brake response was immediate in panic stops.

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner could be configured with two rows of seats for a five-passenger capacity or three rows to seat up to seven. The front seats were the most comfortable, though they only came with manual adjustment as standard. Heated front seats were standard on all but the base trim, with power front-seat adjustments and a heated steering wheel available on Premium trims and up. The second row offered decent space but lacked comfort, with low seat bottoms that didn't provide adequate thigh support. The Platinum trim added heated and reclining second-row seats. The three-row version was suspected to have even worse thigh support than the second-row seats, with limited legroom. Cargo space was comparable to midsize rivals, with gas-only two-row models offering 48.4 cubic feet behind the second row and 90.2 cubic feet behind the first row. The hybrid powertrain reduced cargo space slightly, and the three-row configuration was only available with the base gas-only powertrain.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid offered 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, but headroom and legroom were adequate. The second row featured power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation in the Hybrid SX Prestige test vehicle with the optional Executive package. The middle-row seats had a lot of seat travel fore and aft, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom if needed. The Telluride could hold up to 22.3 cubic feet of cargo behind the third row, with the ability to fold the seatbacks to increase the volume to 48.7 cubic feet. All Telluride trims featured buttons in the cargo area to remotely fold the second-row seatbacks flat, offering up to 89.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot by comparison.

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner came standard with a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and an 8-inch touchscreen, with the instrument cluster expanding to 12.3 inches and the touchscreen growing to 14 inches in higher trims. The 14-inch screen was large and easy to use, with quick access to functions such as navigation, phone, and entertainment. The 4Runner included a one-year trial of Remote Connect, a multi-year subscription to Safety Connect, and a multi-year subscription to Service Connect. A Wi-Fi hotspot was standard for a month, after which a subscription was required. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provided programmable information, with a five-way controller on the steering wheel for customization. Other standard tech features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a three-month satellite radio trial, and a wireless phone charger on all but the base model.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured 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 to register. The middle climate control screen was difficult to use while driving, but physical temperature control buttons were available. The Telluride offered customization options for the infotainment screen's look, with themes from various brand collaborations. A 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system was available on the Telluride SX trim and above, delivering powerful bass and clear tones.

The 2026 Toyota 4Runner was equipped with Toyota's Safety Sense 3.0 suite of safety features, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, road-sign recognition, and high-beam assist. Additional standard features included blind-spot monitors, front and rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic-jam assist. The 4Runner received mixed crash scores, with four out of five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and mixed results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid had not yet been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) at the time of writing. Standard advanced safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, parking proximity sensors, highway driving assist, and rear passenger sensors/reminders. Higher trims offered additional features such as a surround-view camera system, a blind-spot camera system, side parking proximity sensors, and automatic reverse braking.