It feels like you have more options than ever when it comes to finding a great SUV, and models like the Kia Telluride showcase precisely why. As a three-row SUV, the Telluride is perfect if you're interested in a vehicle for a large or growing family or prefer having plenty of seating for friends to come along. Whether you're interested in a Kia Telluride for sale or just curious about what's out there in the Kia lineup, the Telluride is a fantastic option that stands up to scrutiny and comparison. For example, let's consider the 2024 Kia Telluride against the 2024 Mazda CX-90, one of its fiercest competitors, to see how they stack up. Spoiler alert: the Telluride is going to come out on top.

Interior Space and Comfort

With a three-row SUV like the Kia Telluride, one of the most important things to consider is the space inside your vehicle. After all, for many of us, the biggest reason to choose this sort of SUV is to have a spacious interior that has plenty of room for passengers and cargo alike. You want comfortable seating, of course, and all sorts of other great features, but if you can't bring everyone you need along with you, then what's the point? Both the Telluride and the Mazda CX-90 are three-row SUVs with options for up to eight passengers inside, though there are also seven-passenger models, so you can choose the kind of interior you want.

When it comes to interior space, however, the designers at Kia have laid out the interior in a way that's simply superior to many other options out there. For example, in a model without the available sunroof, the Kia Telluride offers more than 40 inches of headroom in the front row, more than 40 inches in the second row, and more than 38 inches of headroom in the back. Similarly, the Telluride gives you more than 41 inches of front legroom, more than 42 inches of second-row legroom, and more than 31 inches in the rear. The Mazda CX-90, on the other hand, offers less than 40 inches of headroom up front and in the second row, plus less than 37 inches of rear-seat headroom. Legroom is similarly limited, with about 30 inches of space for the legs of your back-row passengers, which can be a real problem for adults with long legs.

Cargo volume shows a similar pattern with the Kia Telluride, giving you a lot more functional space to take advantage of. You get 21 cu.ft. of rear cargo volume in the Telluride, with 46 cu.ft. behind the second row, and up to 87 cu.ft. of total cargo space behind the front seats. The Mazda CX-90 has about 16 cu.ft. of rear cargo space, just over 40 cu.ft. of space behind the second row, and only about 75 cu.ft. of total cargo volume inside behind the front row. That's a lot less room for the things you need to bring. Ultimately, loading up the Telluride is easier, and there's far more space to work with. This is important to us with a three-row SUV like this and showcases how well Kia understands what drivers need.

Standard and Available Tech Features

When you're going for a drive, you want your vehicle to be fun and offer a wide range of features that enhance your experience on the road. Kia gets this, and you can see it with the standard tech features in the Telluride, including a Smart Key system with push button start; heated, power-adjustable side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals; and Dual-Zone Auto Climate Control. You get a 12.3-inch infotainment display with navigation standard in the Telluride and a six-speaker sound system. Available features include a variety of upgrades, such as a second 12.3-inch instrument display, a 10-inch head-up display, and a stunning 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. You can get a wireless phone charger, along with luxury features like Nappa leather seating plus heated and ventilated first- and second-row seats.

The Mazda CX-90 also has a host of impressive tech features on offer, but overall, they fail to match what Kia delivers. For example, a 10.25-inch infotainment display is standard in the 2024 CX-90; there's a 12.3-inch screen available, thankfully, but since you get such a large display in every Telluride model, it still puts Kia ahead. You'll find some similar upgrades available for the CX-90, such as Nappa leather-trimmed seating on high-end models and ventilated front and second-row seats, which is expected since Mazda is no slouch in this area. Still, you get advanced features standard on the Telluride, and it starts at about $1,600 less than the CX-90 right now, giving you more while going easier on your budget.

Safety Tech and Driver Assistance

While we love the comfortable style and features inside the Kia Telluride, there's nothing else quite as important as its generous suite of standard safety features. With a family vehicle, nothing else really matters if it can't help protect you and your loved ones on the road. Fortunately, every Telluride comes with Kia Drive Wise technologies designed to keep you safer while you drive. This includes a Forward Collision Warning, and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection to help keep you and others safe on the road.

You get a Blind-Spot Collision Warning standard on every model, plus a Rear Park Distance Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist. Lane Keeping Assist with a Lane Departure Warning is standard, along with Lane Following Assist, Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Highway Driving Assist 1.5, and Safe Exit Assist to help get out when parked near traffic. You can even take things further with available options like a Blind-Spot View Monitor, Highway Driving Assist 2, and a Surround View Monitor to enhance the safety of your vehicle.

We're pleased to say that Mazda also offers a wide range of safety features on the CX-90. No matter what vehicle you choose, you deserve to be protected. This includes a front Collision Mitigation system, Lane Keep Assist with a Lane Departure Warning, and a Blind Spot Monitoring System. Numerous available features can also be chosen to enhance safety for the CX-90, including Smart Brake Support for when the vehicle approaches an intersection, Blind Spot Assist to help avoid potential collisions, and a 360-degree View Monitor for enhanced visibility around the vehicle while maneuvering at low speeds. Overall, these are great options; we simply prefer the standard features of the Kia Telluride and everything it offers you and your family.

Towing Capability

While we'll admit that towing capacity is probably not the most crucial feature of a three-row SUV, it can still matter and is worth considering. Pulling a trailer, camper, or boat behind your vehicle is an excellent option, and the Telluride does it well. Thanks to its impressive standard engine, the Kia Telluride has up to 5,500 lbs of towing capacity for you to take advantage of. This beats the 5,000 lbs of towing that the Mazda CX-90 can handle, and someone who chooses the plug-in hybrid version of the CX-90 will be even more disappointed, with just 3,500 lbs of maximum towing. It might not always come up while you enjoy your vehicle, but if it does, you'll appreciate the extra capability of the Telluride.

Experience the 2024 Kia Telluride for Yourself

It's easy to see that the Kia Telluride has much to offer. Even when you compare it to the stiff competition provided by the Mazda CX-90, it still comes out on top. One look is all it takes to see that Kia's designers and engineers have poured everything they could into developing this stunning three-row SUV, creating a bold and stylish model designed to enhance your time on the road each day. Whether you're most interested in its good looks, innovative tech features, or advanced safety that enhances your responsiveness to protect you on the road, the Kia Telluride has you covered. All you have to do now is explore the many options available across its numerous trim levels so you can drive away in the perfect three-row SUV for you and your family.