Dodge Durango vs Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2026 Dodge Durango, despite its age, maintained a robust and timeless style. Its exterior, with chunky fenders and smooth body panels, received a refresh in 2021 that updated the grille, lighting, and bumpers, while the interior dashboard was overhauled. The Durango's signature wraparound LED taillight, reminiscent of a racetrack, remained a distinctive feature. The vehicle's stance and front end projected a tough, no-nonsense attitude, making it a popular choice for police cruisers. Inside, the Durango showed its age with older switch styles and cheaper plastic grains, but it offered a refreshingly analog experience with logical controls and a large, flush touchscreen. Upper trims featured leather, carbon fibre, and microsuede, albeit of lower quality.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold design that could polarize opinions, particularly with its flat, faceless grille. The vehicle's personality varied with colour and trim, with body-coloured vertical strakes that blended better in darker shades. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks. The Telluride's side profile featured unique faceted fender sculpting and black plastic tabs, while the rear adopted a Range Rover-like style with rounded corners and vertical taillights. Inside, the Telluride offered a simple horizontal dashboard layout with a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim featured a luxurious two-tone palette, though some button labels were hard to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, were firm but offered excellent material quality and various trim surface options.

The 2026 Dodge Durango was initially available with a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 in Canada, but most trims were later offered with a 3.6-litre V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. This engine struggled to move the nearly 5,000-pound vehicle efficiently. The optional 5.7-litre Hemi V8 delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, significantly boosting towing capacity to 3,945 kilograms. The SRT Hellcat Jailbreak, with a 6.2-litre supercharged V8, generated 710 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque, offering exhilarating performance but poor fuel efficiency. The Durango's eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD system provided smooth operation, though steering accuracy was lacking.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid version added electric motors, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. The Telluride Hybrid offered a smooth transition between electric and gas power, with a quiet ride and comfortable suspension. The X-Pro model provided off-road capability, while the Hybrid SX Prestige trim delivered a stiffer ride with its 20-inch wheels. The Telluride's handling was composed, with a soft brake pedal effort that required adjustment. The hybrid's interior remained quiet, with minimal wind noise at highway speeds.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered seating for five to seven passengers, depending on the trim. The third row was tight, reflecting its shared chassis with older models. Headroom and legroom in the first and second rows were adequate, though seat padding was firm. Cargo space was competitive, with 487 litres behind the third row, 1,226 litres behind the second row, and 2,409 litres with both rows folded.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers. The second row featured power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation in the top-trim hybrid, offering comfort comparable to business-class airline seats. Cargo capacity was generous, with 631 litres behind the third row and up to 2,528 litres with seats folded. The Telluride's towing capacity reached 2,268 kilograms, or 2,040 kilograms for the hybrid.

The 2026 Dodge Durango came with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, offering navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM 360L, and wireless Apple CarPlay. The GT Plus and Hellcat trims featured a nine-speaker Alpine stereo, with a 19-speaker Harman Kardon system optional. The Durango lacked semi-automated driving functions and other modern conveniences.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid included a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch climate control screen. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual wireless phone chargers, and a 14-speaker Meridian audio system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though some delays and hard taps were noted. Physical temperature control buttons were a welcome feature.

The 2026 Dodge Durango received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA. It featured a driver's knee airbag and central side airbag but lacked modern driver-assist features. Blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, and rear parking sensors were standard on base trims, with additional features available on higher trims.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid's crash test scores were unavailable at the time of writing. It was expected to include standard safety features such as forward collision warning, blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The highway driving assist was particularly helpful, though the driver attention monitor and blind-spot cameras had some operational issues.