2023 Kia Telluride vs 2024 Honda Passport

During our time in Texas, we experienced the 2023 Kia Telluride X-Line and X-Pro models, which featured fresh front and rear styling, updated headlights and taillights, and new wheel designs. The Telluride offered new paint colours like Midnight Lake Blue, Dawning Red, and Jungle Green, along with interior colours such as Terracotta, Navy, and Sage Green. The X-Line replaced the Nightfall Edition, boasting a raised suspension, unique grille design, raised roof rails, body-colour door handles, and black 20-inch wheels. The X-Pro went further with exclusive 18-inch wheels and all-terrain tires, enhancing its off-road appeal. Inside, the Telluride introduced a digital instrumentation panel and a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, housed under a curved 24-inch piece of glass, pushing the SUV into a more modern era.

The 2024 Honda Passport maintained much of its previous design, despite Honda's updated design language seen in other models. The Passport, available in Sport, TrailSport, and Black Edition trims, offered a rugged look with genuine all-terrain tires and standard roof rails and LED fog lights in Canada. The TrailSport trim, which we tested, featured plastic faux skid plates and no lift kit, but its approach and departure angles were more aggressive than some competitors. Inside, the Passport retained old-school physical controls and an 8-inch touchscreen, with black leather upholstery and orange contrast stitching in the TrailSport trim. The interior was simple yet functional, with plenty of storage space and a utilitarian design.

The 2023 Kia Telluride retained its 3.8-litre V6 engine, producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Smart, Sport, and Snow, with an AWD system featuring a low-speed Lock setting. The Telluride X-Line averaged 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres, while the X-Pro returned 11.5 L/100 km, including off-roading. The X-Pro's off-road capabilities were enhanced with a raised suspension, improved approach and departure angles, and a new Downhill Brake Control system. The X-Pro also increased towing capacity to 2,495 kilograms. On highways, the Telluride provided a smooth ride, with some wind noise and a slightly squishy feel in turns due to the all-terrain tires.

The 2024 Honda Passport featured a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport's fuel economy was rated at 12.5 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 9.8 on the highway, and 11.3 combined. The TrailSport trim had wider tracks, 18-inch wheels with A/T tires, and a suspension tuned for off-road driving. All Passports came with Honda's torque-vectoring iVTM4 AWD system and a traction-management system with normal, snow, sand, and mud settings. The Passport's steering was well-balanced, and its towing capacity maxed out at 2,268 kilograms, surpassing some competitors but falling short of others.

The 2023 Kia Telluride accommodated seven or eight passengers, with premium Nappa leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and heated and ventilated front- and second-row captain’s chairs. The interior offered ample space, with a power lumbar stabilization system for long trips. The second row featured manual side-window sunshades, USB ports, and storage pockets. The third-row seat was more comfortable than many competitors, though not as spacious as the Volkswagen Atlas. The Telluride provided generous storage space, with a smart power tailgate and cargo volume ranging from 601 litres to 2,455 litres.

The 2024 Honda Passport, a two-row midsize crossover, excelled in cargo capacity with 1,430 litres of space behind the rear seats and 2,854 litres with the rear seats folded. The Passport comfortably seated five adults, with rear-seat legroom on par with most competitors. The front featured a redesigned centre console bin, offering more storage space. The Passport's interior was practical, with plenty of cupholders and a functional design.

The 2023 Kia Telluride came standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, and Kia Connect services. The system supported over-the-air updates and Bluetooth pairing for two devices. The Telluride included Driver Talk and Quiet Mode, a wireless phone charger, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. New digital-key technology and a Full Display rear-view mirror were available, along with an optional head-up display. The Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a standout feature, reminding drivers when traffic ahead was moving.

The 2024 Honda Passport offered an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a wireless charging pad. The system displayed turn-by-turn directions on the driver’s information display, which could be annoying in city driving. The TrailSport trim had a seven-speaker audio system, which was less impressive than some competitors' offerings. The Passport's tech was functional but lacked the sophistication of larger displays found in other vehicles.

The 2023 Kia Telluride boasted a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection, and automatic emergency braking. It also offered blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Telluride's Highway Drive Assist 1.5 provided semi-autonomous driving assistance, with Advanced Highway Drive Assist available on higher trims. The Telluride earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2024 Honda Passport included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control as standard. Despite these features, the Passport received an "Acceptable" rating from the IIHS in the passenger-side small overlap crash test and a "Marginal" rating in the updated side-impact crash tests. The NHTSA awarded the Passport five stars overall but four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests.