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Ford Explorer vs Kia Telluride

2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Kia Telluride — two rivals compared on efficiency, size, safety and reliability.

Ford Explorer

2025 Ford Explorer

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDAWD/4WD
VS3 – 3Tie: 3 categories each
Kia Telluride

2025 Kia Telluride

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDAWD/4WD

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The short version

The Ford Explorer is more fuel-efficient: 24 vs 22 MPG combined in its best version.

That works out to about $250 a year less in fuel for the Ford Explorer (EPA estimate, 15,000 miles).

Both earned 5 stars overall in NHTSA crash tests.

Across all model years since 2005, the Kia Telluride has had fewer recall campaigns (20 vs 105).

The two cars

The 2025 Ford Explorer is a standard SUV offered with 2 engines (2.3L 4-cyl turbo and 3.0L 6-cyl turbo) and rear-wheel drive and part-time 4-wheel drive. It measures about 199 inches long and 79 inches wide on a 119-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,458 lb (4dr SUV).

The 2025 Kia Telluride is a small SUV offered with a 3.8L 6-cyl engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. It measures about 197 inches long and 78 inches wide on a 114-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,343 lb.

Buying used? The 2024 Explorer and the 2024 Telluride have the fewest problems in our data; avoid the 2016 Explorer and the 2020 Telluride.

Basics

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Regular Gasoline
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2.3L 4-cyl turbo, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo
Engines
3.8L 6-cyl
Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive

Efficiency

24 MPG
Best combined MPG
22 MPG
20 city
City / highway MPG (best)
20 city
$2,800
Fuel cost per year (EPA)
$3,050

Performance & space

198.8 in
Length
196.9 in
78.7 in
Width
78.3 in
70.1 in
Height
69.3 in
4,458 lb
Curb weight (lightest)
4,343 lb

Safety & reliability

★★★★★
NHTSA overall rating
★★★★★
10
Driver-assist features standard
12
22
Recalls (2025)
3
105
Recalls, all years since 2005
20
109
Owner complaints (latest year)
123

Interest

23,294
Wikipedia views, 30 days
19,618

Buying used

2024
Best used year
2024
2016
Year to avoid
2020

Green = clearly better. Prices are not included. How we calculate this →

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Ford Explorer if…

  • You want lower fuel bills (24 vs 22 MPG)

Choose the Kia Telluride if…

  • You want more standard driver-assist tech
  • You put reliability history first (20 vs 105 recalls since 2005)

Pros & cons of each

2025 Ford Explorer

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
  • Lots of standard safety tech4 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • 22 recallsMore than similar models (about 3). Confirm repairs with the VIN.

2025 Kia Telluride

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 22 MPG combined, 24% below the 2025 small SUV average of 29 MPG.

Full 2025 Ford Explorer specs →Full 2025 Kia Telluride specs →Compare fuel costs for your driving →Compare size & garage fit →