Compare the2026 Lexus GXVS 2025 Kia Telluride

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2026Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. R66EO-BZQGD 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2026/01/10

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Telluride doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Lexus GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Telluride doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The GX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Telluride doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the GX. But it costs extra on the Telluride.

The Lexus GX offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Kia Telluride doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the GX and the Telluride have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Lexus GX weighs 1130 to 1576 pounds more than the Kia Telluride. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lexus GX is safer than the Kia Telluride:

	GX	Telluride
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	32
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	82 lbs.	84 lbs.
Hip Force	109 lbs.	342 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	19	46
Spine Acceleration	20 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	217 lbs.	291 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	332	444
Spine Acceleration	42 G’s	51 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The GX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Telluride’s (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the GX’s reliability 23 points higher than the Telluride.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 11th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The GX’s 3.4 turbo V6 produces 58 more horsepower (349 vs. 291) and 217 lbs.-ft. more torque (479 vs. 262) than the Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the Kia Telluride:

	GX	Telluride
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	7.2 sec
Quarter Mile	14.7 sec	15.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95 MPH	92.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The GX has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Telluride (21.1 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Lexus GX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Telluride.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the GX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Telluride:

	GX	Telluride
Front Rotors	13.9 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	12 inches

The GX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Telluride are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the Telluride (265/55R20 vs. 245/60R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GX offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Telluride’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Lexus GX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Kia Telluride only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The GX has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Telluride; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The GX Overtrail has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Telluride doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Telluride’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For greater off-road capability the GX 550 Premium has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Telluride (8.7 vs. 8 inches), allowing the GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The GX 550 Overtrail’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the Telluride X-Line (9.8 vs. 8.4 inches).

Cargo Capacity

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Telluride’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Telluride’s (9063 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Telluride is only 5000 pounds. The GX offers up to a 9096 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the GX is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Telluride. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 60% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

Ergonomics

The GX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Telluride does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the windows are left open on the GX the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Telluride can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GX’s standard Smart Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Key standard on the Telluride doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The GX’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Telluride’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The GX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Telluride doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Telluride doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The GX’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Telluride offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Lexus GX has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Telluride EX/SX.

The GX Luxury/Overland+ has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Telluride.

The Lexus GX has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Kia charges extra for Homelink® on the Telluride.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Lexus GX and the Kia Telluride, based on reliability, safety and performance.

See Available Inventory