All-New Kia Telluride · A Three-Row Face-Off
Kia Telluride vs Chevy Traverse
Longer coverage. A hybrid Chevy has no answer for. A friendlier price.
Few three-row SUVs get cross-shopped as often as these two. Against the Traverse, the redesigned Telluride counters with a powertrain warranty nearly double the length, a 329-hp Hybrid option Chevy has no equivalent for, and a lower sticker price to start — though the Traverse answers back with a stronger base engine, a larger screen, and Super Cruise. Dean McCrary Kia Hattiesburg, the home base for Telluride in the Pine Belt, lays out the honest comparison below.
10yr/100kKia powertrain warranty
329 hpTelluride Hybrid — Traverse has no hybrid at all
$39,190Starting MSRP*
8Seats standard
5,000 lbMax towing, properly equipped
6×KBB Best Buy winner
The Bottom Line
Four Ways the Telluride Comes Out on Top
Before the deep dive, here’s the quick take: put side-by-side, the all-new Telluride leads on coverage, hybrid choice, and overall value, though the Traverse holds a few legitimate advantages of its own.
Warranty Leader
2×the coverage
10yr/100k vs Traverse’s 5yr/60k
Chevrolet’s powertrain promise runs half as long as Kia’s — five years or 60,000 miles against the Telluride’s ten years or 100,000.
Hybrid Power
329hp hybrid
Traverse offers no hybrid — at all
Chevy offers exactly one engine, and it runs on gasoline only. The first-ever Telluride Hybrid, meanwhile, delivers 329 combined horsepower at an EPA-estimated 35 MPG.
Value Leader
~$1,610lower start
$39,190 vs ~$40,800 Traverse LT
Starting from the base LX, the Telluride includes the full driver-assist suite at a lower opening price — and adds a hybrid option Chevrolet has yet to offer.
Award Leader
6×KBB Best Buy
Plus World Car of the Year
The Traverse hasn’t caught up to this trophy shelf: World Car of the Year, MotorTrend SUV of the Year, and the top ranking in J.D. Power Initial Quality.
What It Costs
Starting MSRP and Trim Range
Both lineups start near the $40K mark, but the Telluride comes in under it and offers a deeper range on top — X-Line, X-Pro, and a Hybrid with no Traverse equivalent. Chevy’s answer: a roomier standard screen and Super Cruise.
Configuration
Kia TellurideAll-New
Chevy Traverse2026
Starting MSRP*
$39,190Lower Start
~$40,800
Trim Range
LX → X-Pro SX Prestige + HybridWider Range + Hybrid
LT → RS (4 trims, gas only)
Powertrains
Gas + HybridHybrid Option
Gas turbo I4 only
Standard Touchscreen
12.3″ (dual 12.3″ available)
17.7″ — largest standard screen in the class
Off-Road Trim
X-Line, X-Pro (9.1″ clearance, e-LSD)More Clearance
Z71 (~7.8″ clearance⚠, Twin-Clutch AWD)
Drivetrain
FWD standard, AWD available
FWD standard, AWD available
Under the Hood
One Engine Hits Harder. The Other Doesn’t Exist Here.
Credit where it’s due — the Traverse’s only engine genuinely outmuscles the Telluride’s standard turbo. The catch: it’s Chevy’s single offering, with no hybrid alternative, and it burns roughly 40% more fuel than the available Telluride Hybrid.
Kia Telluride
2 Powertrain Options
- 2.5L Turbo I4 — 274 hp / 311 lb-ft
- 1.6L Turbo Hybrid — 329 hp combined, ~35 MPG
- 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid)
- Standard FWD, available AWD (standard on X-Line / X-Pro)
Chevy Traverse
1 Powertrain Option
- 2.5L Turbo I4 — 328 hp / 326 lb-ft
- 8-speed automatic
- Standard FWD, available AWD
- No hybrid powertrain available
Powertrain Spec
Kia Telluride
Chevy Traverse
Base Gas Horsepower
274 hp (turbo)
328 hp (turbo) — Traverse leads
Base Gas Torque
311 lb-ft
326 lb-ft — Traverse leads
Hybrid Available
Yes — 329 hpExclusive
Not offered
Combined Fuel Economy
~35 MPG (Hybrid)Best Efficiency
21 MPG (gas only, all trims)
Max Towing
5,000 lb
5,000 lb
Living With It Daily
What Actually Changes Day to Day
Both can seat eight and tow up to 5,000 lb. Where the Telluride pulls ahead is warranty coverage and fuel flexibility — where the Traverse pulls ahead is straight-line power off its lone engine.
Peace of Mind
100kmile warranty
vs Traverse’s 60k-mile powertrain
Kia backs the powertrain for a full decade or 100,000 miles — double the length of the Traverse’s 5-year/60,000-mile promise.
Efficiency
~35mpg hybrid
Traverse has no hybrid answer
Fill up less often: the Telluride Hybrid is EPA-estimated at 35 MPG combined, while the Traverse’s only engine tops out at 21 MPG combined.
Standard Power
Traversewins this one
328 hp / 326 lb-ft vs Telluride’s 274 hp / 311 lb-ft
Credit where due — the Traverse’s standard turbo four genuinely outmuscles the Telluride’s base engine. Skip the Hybrid altogether, and that’s a real point in the Traverse’s favor.
Screens, Software & Safety
One Bigger Screen. Two Different Hands-Free Systems.
Super Cruise has earned its hands-free reputation, and Chevy’s 17.7-inch display is genuinely the biggest in the class. The Telluride answers back by spreading its tech across the whole lineup instead of reserving it for the top trim.
Kia Telluride
12.3″ touchscreen, standard — steps up to available dual 12.3″ panoramic displays
Highway Driving Assist 2 available for hands-free-ready highway driving
14-speaker Meridian premium audio available
Complete driver-assist suite standard, starting with the base LX
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard
360° camera and Blind-Spot View Monitor available
10-year / 100,000-mile powertrain coverage — double the Traverse’s term
Chevy Traverse
17.7″ touchscreen, standard — the biggest screen in the class
Super Cruise available for hands-free highway driving — named MotorTrend’s best hands-free tech in 2025
Built-in Google Maps and Google Gemini
Standard Chevy Safety Assist driver-assist suite
Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto included standard
Gas turbo four only — no hybrid powertrain offered
5-year / 60,000-mile powertrain coverage; 3-year / 36,000-mile basic warranty
What the Reviewers Say
The Trophy Case Speaks for Itself
Both models have been tested hard by independent reviewers year after year, and it’s the Telluride that keeps bringing home the hardware this segment is judged by.
World Car Awards
World Car of the Year
No Traverse has ever pulled off a three-award run like this: the Telluride’s marquee honor, earned together with MotorTrend SUV of the Year and North American Utility of the Year.
Kelley Blue Book
Best Buy, 6 Straight Years
Every year it’s been eligible, KBB has named it the midsize SUV Best Buy — a near-luxury feel without the near-luxury cost.
J.D. Power · 2025 IQS
#1 in Initial Quality
Owners reported fewer problems in the first 90 days than with any other upper-midsize SUV on the market.
NHTSA
5-Star Safety — Both
Both the prior-generation Telluride and the Traverse earned a 5-star overall NHTSA rating. Neither current model holds an IIHS Top Safety Pick badge right now — the 2027 Telluride hasn’t been tested yet in its redesigned form, and the Traverse lost its badge when IIHS raised the bar for 2026. Call this category a wash until new crash-test data arrives.
Still Considering the Traverse? Test-Drive the Telluride First.
In one visit to Dean McCrary Kia, you can browse every Telluride and Telluride Hybrid we have, get a real trade appraisal on your current SUV, and experience the difference firsthand.
Common Questions About Telluride vs Traverse
Is the Kia Telluride better than the Chevy Traverse?⌄
For most shoppers cross-shopping this segment, yes. The Telluride starts roughly $1,610 lower, backs it with a 329-hp Telluride Hybrid the Traverse has no version of, and leads on warranty — Kia’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage against Chevy’s 5-year/60,000-mile. In response, the Traverse brings a stronger standard gas engine, a genuinely larger 17.7-inch standard touchscreen, and Super Cruise hands-free driving. Browse live Telluride inventory here.
Which has more power — Telluride or Traverse?⌄
Comparing gas engines, the Traverse’s 2.5L turbo four makes 328 hp and 326 lb-ft, genuinely ahead of the Telluride’s standard 274-hp, 311-lb-ft turbo. Chevy stops there, though — no hybrid option exists — while the available Telluride Hybrid produces 329 hp combined and an EPA-estimated 35 MPG, a level of efficiency the Traverse’s single gas powertrain can’t reach.
Does the Chevy Traverse offer a hybrid?⌄
No — the 2026 Traverse is gas-only, its single 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 21 MPG combined. Kia’s Telluride lineup, by contrast, now includes a first-ever Telluride Hybrid rated 329 hp combined with an EPA-estimated 35 MPG combined, a powertrain option that simply isn’t available on the Traverse.
Is the Kia Telluride cheaper than the Chevy Traverse?⌄
Yes. A Telluride LX starts at $39,190 MSRP, versus roughly $40,800 for a front-wheel-drive Traverse LT (both before destination) — a gap of about $1,610 in the Telluride’s favor, on top of a hybrid option Chevy simply doesn’t offer.
What’s the warranty difference between Kia and Chevrolet?⌄
Kia’s coverage runs considerably longer: 10 years / 100,000 miles on the powertrain and 5 years / 60,000 miles limited, versus Chevrolet’s 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain and 3 years / 36,000 miles limited.
What does the Chevy Traverse do better?⌄
Credit where due: the Traverse’s 328-hp turbo four genuinely tops the Telluride’s base engine, its 17.7-inch standard touchscreen is the largest in class, and its available Super Cruise system was MotorTrend’s pick for best hands-free tech in 2025. If raw base-engine power or the largest screen is your priority, it’s worth a test drive. On warranty, hybrid availability, and starting price, though, the Telluride still leads.
Where can I compare them near Hattiesburg, MS?⌄
The full Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup is in stock at Dean McCrary Kia, 7124 US Hwy 98 in Hattiesburg — an easy trip from Petal, Oak Grove, Purvis, Columbia, and the surrounding Pine Belt. Stop by and experience the difference for yourself.
The Hub City’s Telluride Headquarters
Looking for a 3-Row SUV Near Hattiesburg?
Hattiesburg sits where I-59, US-49, US-98, and US-11 all come together, and Dean McCrary Kia uses that position to give Pine Belt families — from Forrest, Lamar, Covington, and Perry counties — the deepest Telluride selection around. Weighing the Chevy Traverse too? Here’s why this is the place to start.
- Live inventory of every Telluride trim — LX through X-Pro SX Prestige, plus Hybrid
- A fair number on your trade — value your current SUV in minutes
- Upfront pricing with no surprise add-ons on every new Telluride
- Kia-certified service, factory maintenance, and genuine parts
Dean McCrary Kia
Address7124 US Hwy 98, Hattiesburg, MS 39402
Sales(601) 544-4007
Sales HoursMon–Sat 8:30 AM–6:00 PM
Sources & Verification
This page compares the all-new Kia Telluride to the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse. Pricing and specifications came from manufacturer sources (kia.com, chevrolet.com, media.chevrolet.com) along with Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds, and were current as of publication. Base MSRP is shown, excluding taxes, title, dealer fees, and destination; higher trims and AWD add to the price. Any figure marked ⚠ was sourced from a dealer-aggregator or secondary estimate not yet confirmed against a GM primary source as of publication, and should be verified before public use. Note that horsepower, torque, towing, and payload figures are independent and may not all apply simultaneously. EPA-estimated fuel economy figures are for comparison only — actual mileage will vary.
General Motors LLC holds the trademarks Chevrolet, Traverse, Super Cruise, and Z71. Kia, Telluride, and Meridian are referenced solely for descriptive comparison. Cited awards include honors from both the current- and prior-generation Telluride. This is the dealer’s own perspective, offered for informational purposes only, and pricing or offers may change — contact Dean McCrary Kia to confirm current pricing.
Dean McCrary Kia, Hattiesburg MS — Kia Telluride vs Chevy Traverse Compared
Three areas favor the all-new Kia Telluride over the Chevy Traverse: warranty length (a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain versus 5-year/60,000-mile), hybrid availability (the 329-hp Telluride Hybrid, with no hybrid offered on the Traverse), and starting price (about $39,190 against $40,800). In turn, the Traverse counters with a stronger standard 328-hp turbo engine, the class’s largest standard touchscreen at 17.7 inches, and available Super Cruise hands-free driving. Both vehicles seat up to eight passengers and tow as much as 5,000 pounds. In Hattiesburg, Mississippi — where I-59, US-49, US-98, and US-11 converge — Dean McCrary Kia stocks the complete Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup for Petal, Oak Grove, Purvis, Columbia, and the broader Pine Belt.