2025 Kia Telluride vs 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Nearly every mainstream car company offers at least one family-friendly, midsize three-row SUV. Kia has three, and the Telluride is the largest of its gas-powered models. (The electric-only EV9 is slightly larger). The Telluride debuted in 2020 to critical acclaim and commercial success. Since then, it has received several updates but not a redesign. We took a 2025 Kia Telluride on a nearly 2,000-kilometre family road trip and remain impressed with this stylish and capable Kia.

Verdict: Aging technology caused some irritation during a five-day road trip in the 2025 Kia Telluride. Otherwise, it was perfectly suited to long-distance travel whether rolling down a highway, roaming a major city, or romping down trails.

Jeep’s midsize SUV gains something and loses something for the 2026 model year. A mild refresh brings a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but the Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid is no more. Styling changes outside and a bigger touchscreen inside round out the changes.

Verdict: The turbo-four engine is impressive, but it can’t account for the lack of a hybrid powertrain — or the price tag for the best version of this grand dame of SUVs.