Ultimately, we found choosing the Telluride straightforward due to its appealing design, both inside and out. While design preferences can be subjective, both the Telluride and the Palisade offer great options for any driveway.
Performance and Handling Winner: Hyundai Palisade
Picking between these corporate twins will ultimately come down to design preferences more than anything else. The Telluride and Palisade share a chassis and drivetrain. That means both get a 291 hp 3.8-litre V6 and a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. The Palisade has a more luxurious and refined aesthetic, and the Telluride offers more ruggedized trims with its X-Line and X-Pro option packages.
The Kia is slightly more comfortable, and the Palisade feels a little sportier, but the differences are subtle. Both of these SUVs are enjoyable to drive, with excellent rides and buttery smooth drivetrains. The Palisade has seat bolsters that tighten around your torso in Sport mode, and Hyundai seems to be making more of an attempt at infusing some dynamic qualities into its overall tuning. It gets the win here, but only just.
Interior Winner: Kia Telluride
It’s more of the same on the inside with an interior that offers the same level of functionality and space when it comes to seating, storage cubbies, charging ports, and cupholders. Both the Kia and Hyundai offer some of the best three-row crossover experiences you can buy today with room in the third row for adults and not just kids. Materials and build quality are excellent in both.
Quilted leather and matte finished wood grain trims and nice colour options give both cabins an upscale feel. The Palisade is more lux lounge versus the Telluride’s ski lodge vibe. The Telluride has centre-console grab handles and a more traditional upright feel and the Palisade is sleek and futuristic with its push-button gear selector and large drive mode wheel. Ultimately the traditionalists in us side with the Telluride.
Styling Winner: Kia Telluride
The Palisade’s 2023 refresh brought a worthwhile update to the more polarizing styling of the pre-facelift model. The Palisade is undoubtedly the bolder choice with its large multi-paneled grille and integrated daytime running lights that give it a more futuristic aesthetic. It’s a theme that carries through to the inside. The Telluride’s rectangular headlights and Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille are more aesthetically pleasing to our eyes. We’d also chose the Telluride’s smoother lines over the Palisade’s busier styling. This one was an easy win for the Telluride.
Takeaway: Why the Kia Telluride is the Better Buy
When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, picking the Telluride was easier for us than we initially thought, but that mainly boils down to the interior and exterior design language. Because aesthetics is highly subjective don’t take this decision as a win or a loss for the one you prefer. Either of these SUVs would make a fine addition to your driveway.
It’s worth noting that the 2025 Kia Telluride starts at a lower MSRP than the 2025 Hyundai Palisade in the U.S. ($37,755 vs. $38,215) but is the opposite in Canada ($52,695 vs. $50,499). But the Palisade is better equipped. We do, however, appreciate that a slightly less option-heavy trim is available for the Telluride, making it the more value-driven pick as well. If you’re in the market for a Kia or Hyundai SUV, here are a couple great guides:
