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Kia Telluride vs Toyota 4Runner

2025 Kia Telluride vs 2025 Toyota 4Runner — two rivals compared on efficiency, size, safety and reliability.

Kia Telluride

2025 Kia Telluride

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDAWD/4WD
VS3 – 4Toyota 4Runner wins 4 of 7 categories
Toyota 4Runner

2025 Toyota 4Runner

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WDAWD/4WDHybrid/EV

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The short version

The Toyota 4Runner is more fuel-efficient: 23 vs 22 MPG combined in its best version.

That works out to about $150 a year less in fuel for the Toyota 4Runner (EPA estimate, 15,000 miles).

The Kia Telluride is the bigger car, about 2 inches longer.

In NHTSA crash tests the Kia Telluride scores higher overall (5 vs 4 stars).

Across all model years since 2005, the Kia Telluride has had fewer recall campaigns (20 vs 38).

The two cars

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.

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is a standard SUV offered with a 2.4L 4-cyl turbo engine, including a hybrid version and part-time 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive. It measures about 195 inches long and 78 inches wide on a 112-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,870 lb (4dr SUV).

Buying used? The 2024 Telluride and the 2024 4Runner have the fewest problems in our data; avoid the 2020 Telluride and the 2015 4Runner.

Basics

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Class
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Regular Gasoline
Fuel
Hybrid, Regular Gasoline
3.8L 6-cyl
Engines
2.4L 4-cyl turbo
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain
Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive

Efficiency

22 MPG
Best combined MPG
23 MPG
20 city
City / highway MPG (best)
23 city
$3,050
Fuel cost per year (EPA)
$2,900

Performance & space

–
Horsepower (most powerful)
278 hp
–
Seats (most)
5
196.9 in
Length
194.9 in
78.3 in
Width
78 in
69.3 in
Height
73.2 in
4,343 lb
Curb weight (lightest)
4,870 lb

Safety & reliability

★★★★★
NHTSA overall rating
★★★★
12
Driver-assist features standard
11
3
Recalls (2025)
1
20
Recalls, all years since 2005
38
122
Owner complaints (latest year)
62

Interest

19,618
Wikipedia views, 30 days
25,095

Buying used

2024
Best used year
2024
2020
Year to avoid
2015

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

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Kia Telluride if…

  • Crash-test stars matter most (5 vs 4)
  • You put reliability history first (20 vs 38 recalls since 2005)

Choose the Toyota 4Runner if…

  • You want a hybrid or electric option

Pros & cons of each

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.

2025 Toyota 4Runner

  • Excellent fuel economyUp to 23 MPG combined — 16% better than the average 2025 standard SUV (19.8 MPG).
  • Hybrid version availableOffered as a hybrid as well as gas.
  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • Higher rollover riskNHTSA estimates a 20.4% chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash.

Full 2025 Kia Telluride specs →Full 2025 Toyota 4Runner specs →Compare fuel costs for your driving →Compare size & garage fit →