Between the 2025 Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride, it’s a competition of performance, interior comfort, and price! Which of these three-row SUVs comes out on top? Read on to find out!
Key Takeaways
- Choose the Telluride to save a few bucks on a three-row SUV!
- When it comes to cruising comfort, the Explorer’s cutting-edge features give it the edge.
- The Explorer offers safety features you won’t find on the Telluride, including evasive steering assistance.
- For a spirited performance, you need the Explorer’s strong engine options!
Budget-Friendly Pricing: 2025 Kia Telluride
Which is the smarter choice, the Telluride or Explorer? If you’re on a budget, the Telluride just might be the best option! Kia’s three-row SUV starts at $36,390*, saving you a healthy amount compared to the entry-level Explorer, which starts at $39,785*.
*Price as of 5/14/25.
Interior Comfort & Convenience: 2025 Ford Explorer
Both models get high marks for comfort! Whether you’re shopping for a smooth ride or roomy, comfortable seating, you’ll find it in either SUV. Plus, both the Explorer and Telluride are available with luxurious comfort upgrades, including leather upholstery. But the Explorer comes standard with a few extra items that Fayetteville drivers will appreciate, including heated front seats and three-zone automatic climate control.
When it comes to infotainment tech, the Explorer takes a big lead over the Telluride. The Explorer’s all-new infotainment system, the Ford Digital Experience, features a 13.2-inch central touchscreen and Google-based navigation and voice commands. The Telluride’s standard system — featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen — is none too shabby, but it doesn’t feel as modern (or as quick) as the competition.
Best Safety Tech: 2025 Ford Explorer
Once again, the Explorer and Telluride have a lot of features in common. For instance, both SUVs keep you and your loved ones safe with standard adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, and forward collision mitigation.
However, the Explorer not only comes standard with more safety aids, but it also delivers items you can’t get from the Telluride at all! For example, the evasive steering assist system can help you avoid an accident by automatically steering around it. An intersection collision mitigation alerts you to a potential collision during a left turn. This system can even hit the brakes to help you avoid crashing.
Sportiest Performance: 2025 Ford Explorer
If you’re the type of driver who likes to engage with North Carolina’s winding mountain passes, you’re going to love the Explorer. Thanks to its rear-wheel-drive platform and sharp handling, Ford’s three-row SUV delivers best-in-class performance. These qualities also amplify towing stability, helping you tow your boat to the shore with complete confidence. If you’re shopping for an extra-intrepid performance, give the Explorer ST a whirl. With its 400-horsepower turbocharged engine, this high-performance trim model blows past the competition!
2025 Ford Explorer Powertrain Options
- 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine (300 hp, 311 lb-ft)
- Optional 3.0L turbo V6 (400 hp, 415 lb-ft)
- 10-speed automatic transmission
- Rear-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive
Where the Explorer is the energetic option, the 2025 Kia Telluride is meant for keep-calm-and-carry-on types. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with this SUV’s smooth, controlled performance (unless you count the fact that it’s not as much fun as the Explorer). While this Kia SUV isn’t as strong as its Ford competitor, its 291-horsepower engine does a fine job keeping up with traffic.
2025 Kia Telluride Powertrain Options
- 3.8L V6 (291 hp, 262 lb-ft)
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- Front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive
Whether you’re headed on a family vacation to Shell Island or the Smoky Mountains, the Explorer delivers the power, performance, and cabin comfort you need for top-tier memory-making. Experience everything North Carolina has to offer in style — visit us at Lafayette Ford in Fayetteville to test-drive the newly updated Ford Explorer!