Tested: 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Is Quicker and Quieter Than the Hyundai Palisade

• We put the 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid through our instrumented testing regimen.
• In a number of areas, it bested its corporate sibling and chief rival, the Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
• We still think the Palisade is the overall better buy, but we wouldn't fault anyone for getting the Telluride.

Quicker and quieter

The Telluride and Palisade use the same hybrid powertrain, where two electric motors are paired with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Both make 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque and come with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

In our performance testing, the Telluride Hybrid bested the Palisade Hybrid in acceleration and braking, and it's quieter at a 70-mph cruise. By our scales, the fully loaded Telluride SX Prestige is also slightly heavier than an equivalent Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy. Many of us think the Kia looks better, too.

Where the Kia didn't do as well was on our skidpad, where it managed 0.80 g compared to the Palisade's 0.82 g. This is a small difference and not necessarily the most important spec when it comes to a three-row SUV. What this really just means is that the Palisade has a higher threshold before its tires give up, which could be important if you need to make an emergency maneuver or swerve around a rogue basketball that bounces out into the street.

Little things matter

As we mentioned in our comparison test, there are a few little things that we like more about the Telluride. The Telluride has better headrests, with four-way mesh units that we love resting our heads against. All new Kias have these headrests, and we wish they were available in every single new car. We also think the Kia is a little easier to get in and out of, simply because its power steering column doesn't protrude into the cabin as much as the Palisade's.

Trim for trim, the Kia Telluride can cost a bit more than the Hyundai Palisade, but given the extra standard kit, we think it's worth the price. Dual wireless charging pads, cooled front seats, a sunroof and a digital rearview mirror are all standard on our SX Prestige tester. Really, the Telluride feels like a heck of a bargain — even fully loaded at just under $60K.