All-New Kia Telluride · Round One in the 3-Row Field
Kia Telluride vs Hyundai Palisade
Warranty terms are even. Extra torque standard. Hybrid output: a dead heat.
Around Hattiesburg, few three-row SUVs get cross-shopped as often as this pair. The newly redesigned Kia Telluride matches the Hyundai Palisade’s factory warranty coverage point for point, while its standard engine hits harder on torque and offers hands-free-ready highway driving on SX trims. Below is an unfiltered side-by-side, straight from Dean McCrary Kia Hattiesburg.
10yr/100kKia’s powertrain coverage
329 hpTelluride Hybrid combined output
$39,190MSRP to start*
8Standard seating
5,000 lbTop tow rating, properly equipped
6×KBB Best Buy wins
No-Spin Verdict
Where the Telluride Pulls Ahead: Three Reasons
Kia and Hyundai are corporate siblings, and it shows in these two SUVs — few matchups in this class run closer. Even so, a handful of gaps favor the Telluride.
Torque Leader
311lb-ft standard
vs Palisade V6’s 260 lb-ft
Trade a little peak horsepower for real-world grunt: the standard turbo’s 311 lb-ft outmuscles the Palisade’s 260, a gap that shows up merging onto the interstate, pulling a trailer, or driving with all eight seats filled.
Hybrid, By a Hair
35MPG combined
vs Palisade Hybrid’s 34 MPG
Output is a wash between the two hybrids, both putting down 329 hp and 339 lb-ft combined. Where the Telluride Hybrid separates itself is efficiency and capability — better EPA-estimated MPG, plus 500 more pounds of tow rating.
Award Leader
6×KBB Best Buy
Plus World Car of the Year
The Telluride’s case includes World Car of the Year, MotorTrend’s SUV of the Year, and the #1 spot in J.D. Power Initial Quality — more hardware than the Palisade has collected to date.
Price & Trim Breakdown
Starting MSRP & Trim Lineup
On sticker price alone, these two land within a few hundred dollars of each other — call it a wash. Torque, hybrid tow rating, and what’s included after the sale is where the real separation happens.
Configuration
Kia TellurideAll-New
Hyundai Palisade2026
Starting MSRP*
$39,190
~$38,935–$41,035⚠
Trim Range
LX → X-Pro SX Prestige + Hybrid
SE → Calligraphy + XRT Pro + Hybrid
Powertrains
Gas + Hybrid
Gas + Hybrid
Standard Touchscreen
12.3″Dual 12.3″ Available
12.3″
Off-Road Trim
X-Line, X-Pro (9.1″ clearance, e-LSD)More Clearance
XRT Pro (8.4″ clearance)
Drivetrain
FWD standard, AWD available
FWD standard, AWD available
Under the Hood
Hybrids Are a Virtual Tie. The Standard Engine Isn’t.
Put the hybrids side by side and they land at an identical 329 hp combined — no separating them there. Switch to gas power and the Palisade’s V6 takes the peak-horsepower edge, though the Telluride turbo counters with more torque.
Kia Telluride
2 Powertrain Options
- 2.5L Turbo I4 — 274 hp / 311 lb-ft
- 1.6L Turbo Hybrid — 329 hp / 339 lb-ft combined, ~35 MPG
- 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid)
- Standard FWD, available AWD (standard on X-Line / X-Pro)
Hyundai Palisade
2 Powertrain Options
- 3.5L V6 — 287 hp / 260 lb-ft
- 1.6L Turbo Hybrid — 329 hp / 339 lb-ft combined, ~34 MPG⚠
- 8-speed automatic (gas), 6-speed automatic (hybrid)
- Standard FWD, available AWD
Powertrain Spec
Kia Telluride
Hyundai Palisade
Base Gas Horsepower
274 hp (turbo)
287 hp (V6)
Base Gas Torque
311 lb-ft+51 lb-ft
260 lb-ft
Hybrid Power
329 hp / 339 lb-ft
329 hp / 339 lb-ft — Matched
Hybrid Fuel Economy
~35 MPG combinedSlight Edge
~34 MPG combined (targeted)⚠
Hybrid Max Towing
4,500 lb+500 lb
4,000 lb⚠
Gas Max Towing
5,000 lb
5,000 lb
Space, Mileage & Ownership
What You’ll Actually Notice Day to Day
Cabin space and cargo room barely differ, and most of the spec sheet reads the same — right down to matched warranty coverage. Where the Telluride edges ahead day to day is capability.
Peace of Mind
5yr/60kbasic warranty
Matched factory terms at both brands
Both automakers back these SUVs with the same coverage — a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty. On warranty, it’s a genuine tie.
Hybrid Towing
4,500lb hybrid tow
vs Palisade Hybrid’s 4,000 lb⚠
Power output is identical between the two hybrids, yet the Telluride Hybrid is rated to tow 500 lb more — useful if a boat or small trailer is ever in the picture.
Capability
9.1″clearance
X-Pro vs XRT Pro’s 8.4″
The X-Pro clears more ground than the XRT Pro and adds an electronic limited-slip differential along with selectable Terrain Modes.
Cabin Tech & Safety
Screens Are Comparable. Hands-Free Isn’t.
Display sizes match up closely between the two. The separation comes on SX trims and up, where the Telluride offers hands-free-ready highway driving that the Palisade’s Highway Driving Assist simply doesn’t match.
Kia Telluride
12.3″ touchscreen comes standard — step up to available dual 12.3″ panoramic screens
Available Highway Driving Assist 2 — lets you go hands-free on the highway
14-speaker Meridian premium audio available
Base LX already includes the full driver-assist suite
Apple CarPlay & Android Auto standard, wireless
360° camera and Blind-Spot View Monitor available
Backed by a 10-year / 100,000-mile powertrain warranty — matched by Hyundai
Hyundai Palisade
12.3″ touchscreen comes standard⚠ — a dual-display option hasn’t been confirmed
Highway Driving Assist available, but it still wants hands on the wheel — not truly hands-free⚠
Premium audio system available⚠
Standard Hyundai SmartSense driver-assist suite
Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto standard
Surround-view camera available⚠
10-year / 100,000-mile powertrain warranty — identical to Kia’s
Third-Party Recognition
What the Trophies Say
Both nameplates have been under independent review for years running. The Telluride, though, keeps collecting the hardware that sets the bar for the rest of the class.
World Car Awards
World Car of the Year
Alongside MotorTrend SUV of the Year and North American Utility of the Year, this is the Telluride’s biggest prize — a trio no Palisade generation has matched so far.
Kelley Blue Book
Best Buy, 6 Straight Years
Named KBB’s midsize SUV Best Buy in every eligible year, delivering upscale feel without an upscale price tag.
J.D. Power · 2025 IQS
#1 in Initial Quality
The fewest owner-reported issues in the first 90 days, ranking first among upper-midsize SUVs.
NHTSA & IIHS
Safety Pedigree — Both Strong
IIHS awarded the 2026 Palisade a Top Safety Pick+ (for units built after November 2025). The prior-generation Telluride picked up that same award in 2025, and the redesigned 2027 model was engineered to hit the same bar, with its own IIHS results still pending.
Still Weighing the Palisade? Test-Drive the Telluride First.
Check out every Telluride and Telluride Hybrid we have on the lot, get a straight number on your trade, and judge the difference for yourself — it’s all here under one Hattiesburg roof.
Telluride vs Palisade: Questions We Hear Often
Is the Kia Telluride better than the Hyundai Palisade?⌄
Honestly, it’s a near dead heat — few three-row SUVs on sale today are matched this closely. Gas and hybrid powertrains on both carry an identical 10-year/100,000-mile factory warranty, and the hybrids tie exactly at 329 hp combined. Where the Telluride pulls ahead: 51 more lb-ft of torque from its gas engine and hands-free-ready Highway Driving Assist 2 on SX trims and up. In its favor, the Palisade brings a genuinely upscale interior and a slight peak-horsepower advantage on its gas V6. See live Telluride inventory.
Which has more power — Telluride or Palisade?⌄
The Palisade’s gas V6 does out-muscle the Telluride on peak output, 287 hp to 274 hp — that one goes to Hyundai. Flip to torque, though, and the Telluride’s standard turbo leads, 311 lb-ft against 260, which translates to stronger pull day to day. Go hybrid and the two are indistinguishable: 329 hp and 339 lb-ft combined on both the Telluride Hybrid and Palisade Hybrid.
Do both the Telluride and Palisade offer a hybrid?⌄
They do, and this might be the tightest call in the whole comparison. Both hybrid options are rated at 329 hp combined. The Telluride Hybrid edges out an EPA-estimated 35 MPG combined against the Palisade Hybrid’s targeted 34 MPG, and it’s rated to tow 4,500 lb versus the Palisade Hybrid’s 4,000 lb.
Is the Kia Telluride cheaper than the Hyundai Palisade?⌄
Call it a toss-up — the gap is too thin to matter much. Telluride LX MSRP starts at $39,190; Hyundai’s own published figures put the Palisade SE at roughly $38,935 before destination, though some retail listings price the Palisade closer to $41,035 to start. There’s no clear winner on price alone here — the smarter move is comparing standard equipment trim-by-trim at comparable price points.
What’s the warranty difference between Kia and Hyundai on these two?⌄
On paper, nothing separates them — Kia and Hyundai are sister brands, and the Telluride and Palisade both carry an identical 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty plus a 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty. On warranty, it’s a genuine tie.
What does the Hyundai Palisade do better?⌄
Give the Palisade its due: its interior design and material quality draw consistent praise from reviewers, particularly in Calligraphy trim, and its 287-hp V6 outguns the Telluride’s standard turbo on peak horsepower. It also picked up an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award for the 2026 model (units built after November 2025). If cabin polish and raw horsepower top your list, the Palisade earns a look. Prioritize torque, hybrid tow capacity, or hands-free-ready highway tech, though, and the Telluride comes out ahead.
Where can I compare them near Hattiesburg, MS?⌄
You’ll find Dean McCrary Kia at 7124 US Hwy 98, right where I-59, US-49, US-98, and US-11 converge — the very crossroads that earned Hattiesburg its Hub City name. We carry the complete Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup for shoppers across Forrest, Lamar, Covington, and Perry counties, from Petal and Oak Grove to Purvis, Columbia, and Laurel. Stop by and drive one for yourself.
Pine Belt · Telluride vs Palisade
Looking for a 3-Row SUV Around Hattiesburg?
From Petal and Oak Grove to Purvis, Columbia, Laurel, and Sumrall, Dean McCrary Kia is where Pine Belt families across Forrest, Lamar, Covington, and Perry counties find the area’s largest Telluride selection. Cross-shopping the Hyundai Palisade? Here’s why it pays to start here.
- 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 comparison pits the all-new Kia Telluride against the 2026 Hyundai Palisade, with specs and pricing pulled from manufacturer sources (kia.com, hyundainews.com, hyundaiusa.com), Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds as of publication. Listed MSRP is base pricing only, before destination, taxes, title, and dealer fees, and cost rises with AWD, hybrid, and higher trims. Any figure flagged with ⚠ is an internally targeted or secondary-source estimate rather than a single confirmed primary source, and should be double-checked before this page goes public. Note that horsepower, torque, towing, and payload figures are independent of one another and aren’t necessarily achievable at the same time, and that EPA-estimated fuel economy is provided for comparison purposes only — actual mileage will differ.
Trademarks including Hyundai, Palisade, SmartSense, Highway Driving Assist, and XRT Pro belong to Hyundai Motor America; Kia, Telluride, and Meridian are referenced here solely for descriptive comparison purposes. Listed awards span both prior- and current-generation Telluride honors. This page represents the dealership’s own viewpoint, offered for informational use only, and pricing or offers may change without notice — reach out to Dean McCrary Kia to confirm current figures.
Comparing the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade — Dean McCrary Kia in Hattiesburg, MS
These two three-row SUVs, the all-new Kia Telluride and the 2026 Hyundai Palisade, are closely matched on paper. An identical 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty backs both, and their hybrid systems tie exactly at 329 hp combined. Where they separate: the Telluride's standard turbo delivers more torque (311 vs 260 lb-ft), and its Hybrid beats the Palisade Hybrid on both EPA-estimated MPG (35 vs 34) and tow rating (4,500 vs 4,000 lb). Gas models on both sides seat up to eight and tow up to 5,000 lb. Situated in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, at the crossroads where I-59, US-49, US-98, and US-11 converge, Dean McCrary Kia stocks the complete Telluride and Telluride Hybrid lineup for Forrest, Lamar, Covington, and Perry counties, from Petal to Purvis, Columbia, and Laurel.