Compare the2025 Kia TellurideVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Both the Telluride and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia Telluride is safer than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Telluride third among upper midsize suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Santa Fe Hybrid isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 1 place higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The Telluride’s 3.8 DOHC V6 produces 60 more horsepower (291 vs. 231) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Telluride is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Telluride has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Hybrid (18.8 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Kia Telluride, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Hybrid.

For better stopping power the Telluride’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Telluride stops much shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

For better traction, the Telluride has larger tires than the Santa Fe Hybrid (245/60R18 vs. 235/60R18).

The Telluride has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Telluride has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Telluride’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Hybrid (114.2 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Telluride is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Telluride SX 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Telluride has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe Hybrid (8 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Telluride to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Telluride X-Line’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the Santa Fe Hybrid (8.4 vs. 7 inches).

The Kia Telluride may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 300 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Telluride SX 4x4 is quieter than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD:

The Telluride has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Santa Fe Hybrid can only carry 7.

The Telluride has 4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid (155 vs. 151).

The Telluride has 2.4 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear legroom, 3.1 inches more rear hip room, 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room, .4 inches more third row headroom, 1.4 inches more third row legroom, 1 inch more third row hip room and 1.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Telluride’s cargo area provides more volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Telluride. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Telluride’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

The Telluride’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Telluride’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Santa Fe Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Telluride EX/SX has standard front air conditioned seats and the Telluride SX Prestige also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Telluride and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Telluride was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 5 more times in the last 6 years. The Santa Fe Hybrid has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the Telluride as their 2020 Sport Utility of the Year. The Santa Fe Hybrid has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Telluride as the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Santa Fe Hybrid has never been chosen.