Kia Telluride continues riding among the top of the three-row heap

2023 Honda Pilot Elite AWD vs. 2023 Kia Telluride Prestige X-Line V-6 AWD: Battle of two very strong three-row SUVs.

This week: Kia Telluride

Price: $54,120 as tested. Gray paint added $495; terra-cotta interior, $295; floor mats, $210.

Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver touts highs like the “commodious cabin, even the base model is nicely equipped, top trims offer near-luxury environs,” but downsides include “restrained handling, not as fuel-efficient as four-cylinder rivals, driver assists are sometimes intrusive.”

Marketer’s pitch: “All around rugged.”

Reality: Still really good, but with some down sides.

What’s new: Mr. Driver’s Seat has touted the Telluride’s handling and comfort since its debut in 2020.

New X-Line and X-Pro trims step up the Telluride’s ruggedness. It also gets a refreshed look and interior, and more towing capacity.

Competition: In addition to the Pilot, there’s the Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-90 (review coming soon), Volkswagen Atlas, and Toyota Highlander, plus many more.

Test drive: On the way to upstate New York to test out the new Hyundai Ioniq 6, Mr. Driver’s Seat opted instead for the Telluride and had to turn in a sporty sedan at the fleet headquarters. It’s always nice to meet people you’ve worked with for 12 years but who remain a voice on the phone or an email exchange.

We gave up a BMW M340i, so I was wary that the handling in the new vehicle would affect my joy. The first few turns in the Telluride swung a little wide, but overall the adjustment and handling were not too bad.

Driver’s Seat: Here, the Telluride was a welcome switch. The nice, wide seat offered equal support but was not at all firm. We were driving for over three hours in one sitting on the way home, and I felt comfortable and reasonably rested, even in Friday night traffic.

The gauges are easy to read and easy to see. Controls are laid out logically as well.

On the road: Around Peekskill, N.Y., the main highway from our hotel brought back memories of the French Riviera — a comparison never before made, I bet. The lane hugged the water, the guardrail became just rocks jutting out at some points, and the curves were seriously sharp. (Travel tip: Try the Ecuadorian place La Cabana in Peekskill.)

Needless to say, the Telluride was a little out of its element.

But back in Chester County, the less severe country curves were easily handled. The Telluride remains one of my favorite three-row SUVs for giving the driver something to enjoy, even offering a bit of zig when I hit a few curves faster than I should have. The Telluride also handles narrow country lanes wonderfully for a big SUV.

Highway driving was delightful. The Telluride moved smoothly over the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. Advantage: Telluride.

Up to speed: The Telluride is no slouch in the acceleration department either. The 3.8-liter V-6 engine creates 291 horsepower. It gets to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, according to Car and Driver.

Shifty: The 8-speed transmission is controlled by an actual gearshift lever and can be shifted manually there as well. Since the Pilot has rows of buttons, strong advantage goes to the Telluride.

Friends and stuff: The middle row captains chairs look and feel a little chintzy when you slide them around or fold them, but they provide some decent seating.

The middle row slides so, like the Pilot, legroom can be divvied up among the second and third row. Head room is good for all, but foot room is not. The rear row sits scrunched against the floor, much more than the Honda.

Cargo space in the back is about on par with the Pilot, at 21 cubic feet, but it drops dramatically after that: 46 with the third row down; and 87 behind the first row, both about a third smaller. (Bonus points to Kia, though, for getting the decimals out of the equation.) Strong advantage: Pilot.

Except for towing. The Telluride can tow up to 5,500 pounds, 10% more than the Pilot.

Play some tunes: The Harman Kardon premium audio provides delightful sound, pretty much an A.

The system is controlled by dials for tuning and volume, buttons that change modes, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the rest. The touchscreen, in fact, melds into the gauges as well, a nice touch that reminded me of the M340i’s setup. Strong advantage: Telluride.

Keeping warm and cool: Temperature is controlled by dials and everything else by buttons. The vents have switches that make them easy to shut off when they blow too much air.

Fuel economy: I averaged about 21 mpg in a highway-heavy test of hundreds of miles.

Where it’s built: West Point, Ga.

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Telluride reliability to be a 3 out of 5.

In the end: If you’re buying a three-row SUV for total passenger comfort and space, the Pilot wins. But the Telluride provides a much better driving and audio experience.