2020 Kia Telluride vs 2021 Toyota Venza

The 2020 Kia Telluride had a transformative design that aimed to erase Kia's past reputation for cheap adequacy. It appeared more expensive than it was, but the Kia badge somewhat hurt its upscale style. The Telluride's design was a blend of boxy presence and fluid curves, reminiscent of a big Chevy and a new Volvo. Its clean, minimal design with special details like amber LED running lights and large "TELLURIDE" badges gave it a unique yet familiar look. Inside, the Telluride's interior mimicked a Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class with its twin grab handles, wide air vents, and ultra-wide touchscreen. Despite some lower sections being hard plastic, the fit, quality, and colors were tasteful and classy. The SX-trim with the Prestige Package added luxurious touches like Nappa leather seats and a soft headliner, making it feel like a $60,000-$70,000 vehicle, though it cost $46,930 fully loaded.

The 2021 Toyota Venza, shorter and closer to the ground than the RAV4, had a design that many critics said looked more like a Lexus. Its elongated profile and grille blurred the line between the brands, resembling the Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept. The Venza came in three trim levels: LE, XLE, and Limited, with a choice of seven paint colors. Standard features included dual chrome-tipped exhaust, LED headlights and taillights, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The base LE model offered a wireless charging pad, leather-trimmed steering wheel, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. The XLE added black bumper garnishes, silver roof rails, and a 7-inch driver information display. The top-tier Limited trim featured a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and an optional Star Gaze panoramic roof. The Venza's interior was unique, with premium appointments in the center stack and a deep center console with various controls and ports. The seating was comfortable for both rows, and the cargo space, though less than the RAV4, was sufficient for daily use.

The 2020 Kia Telluride was powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It offered both FWD and AWD options, with AWD being a $2,000 upgrade. The Telluride's acceleration was sometimes delayed, and the transmission's shifting could be rough. However, once the power arrived, it was sufficient to move the vehicle quickly. The steering was slow, and there was noticeable body lean, but the ride was smooth, aided by double-paned glass and acoustic insulation. The Telluride had a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds with the $795 Towing package and an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined for AWD models.

The 2021 Toyota Venza featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lithium-ion battery pack and electric motors, resulting in a combined 219 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid system used an electronically-controlled continuously-variable transmission (eCVT) with a sequential-shifting feature for regenerative braking. The Venza's acceleration was smooth but noisy, with engine and road noise permeating the cabin. The handling was confident and typical of a Toyota, with nothing out of the ordinary. The Venza excelled in fuel economy, achieving an EPA-estimated 40 mpg highway, 37 mpg city, and 39 mpg combined. Toyota backed its hybrid powertrain with a 10-year/150,000-mile hybrid battery warranty and an eight-year/100,000-mile Hybrid System warranty.

The 2020 Kia Telluride could seat seven or eight passengers, depending on the trim. The base LX and EX trims seated eight, while the S and SX trims seated seven with optional captain's chairs. The SX trim added heating and cooling for the second-row seats, manual side-window shades, and a third climate zone. The Telluride's cabin was spacious, with ample room in the second row and a tolerable third row for adults. Cargo capacity was 21 cubic feet with all seats up and 87 cubic feet with them folded flat. The interior featured analog gauges, buttons, knobs, and a regular PRNDL shifter, complemented by two displays: a 3.5-inch for the instrument panel and an 8-inch screen for the dash. The EX and SX models had a 10.3-inch screen and a 7-inch instrument panel display.

The 2021 Toyota Venza's interior was practical and unique, with premium appointments in the center stack and a deep center console with various controls and ports. The seating was comfortable for both rows, with more headroom and slightly less legroom than the RAV4. The Venza had a maximum cargo space of 55.1 cubic feet, which was sufficient for daily use but less than some competitors. The interior featured a traditional stick shifter, drive mode buttons, an electronic parking brake button, USB and AUX ports, a wireless charging pad, and heated and ventilated seat buttons. The padded upholstery on the console added a luxurious touch in the premium trim level.

The 2020 Kia Telluride came standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Kia's UVO link, which allowed remote access to the car via an app. A proximity key was also standard. Upper trims with navigation had fast and accurate voice inputs and online search capabilities. However, the lack of onboard WiFi was a shortcoming. The SX trim featured a live feed of the blind spot on the instrument cluster, Highway Driving Assist, a quiet mode, and an intercom for the third row. The SX also had bright LED headlights, dual moonroofs, and a Harman Kardon surround stereo.

The 2021 Toyota Venza LE and XLE had an 8-inch infotainment system, while the Limited trim had a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The Entune infotainment system was standard across all trims, along with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Venza also had a Wi-Fi hot spot, a nine-speaker JBL premium audio system, and various Toyota connected services, including Safety Connect, Remote Connect, and Service Connect. The larger infotainment screen featured dynamic navigation with cloud-based route guidance.

The 2020 Kia Telluride had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing, but it was expected to receive top scores. It came standard with active driver assists, including forward-collision alert with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, a driver-attention monitor, and adaptive cruise control. Safe Exit Assist and a driver's knee airbag were also standard, while surround-view cameras and front parking sensors were optional.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite, which included eight airbags, a rearview camera, hill start assist, parking distance sensors, tire pressure monitoring, and adjustable front seatbelt anchors. Additional features included a pre-collision warning system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and road sign assist. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard, with an upgrade to automatic braking available on the XLE and Limited trims. The Venza also had two full sets of LATCH connections on the rear outboard seats.