Three-row SUVs continue to grow in number and in size. The Kia Telluride skips the 2026 model year in advance of the redesigned 2027 Telluride, which is longer and roomier than the first-generation Telluride. Until it goes on sale next year, however, the 2025 Kia Telluride reigns as our Best Midsize SUV.
The 2026 GMC Acadia challenges the Telluride’s dominance with a stylish exterior and premium interior, and it’s one of the more spacious 3-row midsize SUVs in the class. Shoppers prioritizing cargo and passenger volume might prefer the extra space of the Acadia compared to the current Telluride.
Here’s a more detailed comparison of how these two popular SUVs match up and differ.
2025 Kia Telluride
The Kia Telluride earns our KBB Best Buy Award for a midsize SUV because it balances all of the things most important to shoppers for a family vehicle. It aces safety testing, offers a well-equipped interior, comes with easy-to-use technology, sports a handsome exterior, and has an outstanding warranty and impressive resale value. With a starting price under $40,000, it’s one of the best family haulers this side of a minivan.
The Telluride comes with a 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 that makes 262 lb-ft of torque. It pairs with an 8-speed automatic and nets 22 mpg combined with front-wheel drive (FWD). It’s neither as powerful nor as efficient as the Acadia, yet it’s smoother and more responsive.
Kia Telluride Highlights
Impressive warranty: Unbeatable warranty coverage — 5-year/60,000-mile general and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain — is a big advantage for the Kia Telluride, offering coverage that the GMC Acadia simply can’t match.
Value: With a starting price nearly $8,000 less than the Acadia, the Telluride is a practical buy. Stepping up from the base LX trim to the S for about $41,000, which is about $5,000 less than the Acadia, adds most of the comfort and convenience features desired by modern shoppers, including heated power front seats and twin 12.3-inch displays.
V6 muscle: Although the GMC Acadia’s turbo 4-cylinder is better than the Kia Telluride’s V6 on paper, with better performance and similar fuel economy, some shoppers in this class prefer the reassuring grunt of a V6. Six-cylinder engines have powered long-lasting family SUVs for decades, and there’s some peace of mind that comes with that in the Telluride.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the new Telluride models for sale near you.
2026 GMC Acadia
GMC redesigned the Acadia in 2024 to look more like the brand’s pickup trucks and the full-size Yukon. Running lights shaped like a hacksaw frame the broad vertical face, and available 22-inch wheels buff its muscular profile. The long wheelbase gives way to one of the largest cabins in the class, and in GMC fashion, the top Denali and the new Denali Ultimate trim present a luxurious cockpit decked in leather upholstery, wood trim, and available massaging seats.
Ditching the V6 for a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder might sound like GMC steers away from its truck lineup with the Acadia, but it’s more powerful than the old V6 with a rating of 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. It’s also more potent than the Telluride’s V6. The engine response can be hesitant off the line, and the 8-speed automatic transmission can feel tuned for efficiency more than power, shifting quickly from gear to gear. It rates at 23 mpg combined with standard front-wheel drive or 21 mpg combined with all-wheel drive (AWD).
GMC Acadia Highlights
Big cargo, good rear legroom: The Acadia’s longer wheelbase provides more space from the rear doors to the back. The third row is roomier than the one in the Telluride, and could fit two average-sized adults back there as long as the second-row seats aren’t in their rearmost position. Behind the third row, there is significantly more space for cargo and gear than in the Telluride.
Super Cruise: Available throughout the lineup, GM’s hands-free highway driving system is among the most sophisticated and safest on the market. It enables hands-free driving so long as the driver is paying attention to the road for long stretches on most divided highways throughout the country.
All the standard tech: The Acadia comes with a crisp 11-inch digital gauge cluster boasting excellent graphics, thanks to Google built-in software that also runs the 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Vertically oriented, the touchscreen looks identical to GMC’s trucks and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Even though the piano key shifter below the screen can be polarizing, the controls and touchscreen are easy to use. Other standard tech features include Bose premium audio, heated front seats, and a wireless charging pad.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the new Acadia models for sale near you.
Similarities
Both of these SUVs stand out with rugged styling and off-road trims (Telluride X-Pro and Acadia AT4). They can both tow up to 5,000 pounds (the Telluride X-Pro is rated at 5,500 pounds). On the everyday side of things, both come equipped with a suite of driver-assist technology and top safety ratings from crash-test agencies. They also have a trim range that includes luxury-leaning features, but the Acadia indulges in that a bit more.
Pricing
New 2025 Kia Telluride Prices
|
Retail Price
|
Fair Purchase Price (54935)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
$37,805 |
$36,157 |
|||
$40,805 |
$39,169 |
|||
$43,505 |
$41,832 |
|||
$47,605 |
$45,468 |
|||
$47,900 |
$45,945 |
|||
$48,800 |
$46,808 |
|||
$51,300 |
$48,903 |
|||
$52,805 |
$50,352 |
|||
$54,200 |
$51,773 |
|||
$55,100 |
$52,613 |
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Kia Telluride vehicles and New 2026 GMC Acadia vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.
Specifications
| 2025 Kia Telluride | 2026 GMC Acadia | |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 3.8-liter 6-cylinder | 2.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder |
| Towing Capacity | 5,000 pounds | 5,000 pounds |
| Horsepower | 291 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 328 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm | 326 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm |
| Transmission | automatic, 8-speed | automatic, 8-speed |
| Fuel Economy | 20 city/26 highway/22 combined mpg | N/A |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 10 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5 stars | Not rated |
| Max Seating Capacity | 8 | 8 |
| Wheelbase | 114.2 inches | 120.9 inches |
| Overall Length | 196.9 inches | 203.9 inches |
| Width | 78.3 inches | 87.9 inches |
| Height | 68.9 inches | 70.9 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 19.4 feet | N/A |
| Headroom, Front | 40.9 inches | 42.6 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 40.2 inches | 40.0 inches |
| Headroom, 3rd Row | 38.1 inches | 38.2 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 44.1 inches | 44.2 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 42.4 inches | 41.3 inches |
| Legroom, 3rd Row | 31.4 inches | 32.1 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 61.6 inches | 62.0 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 61.2 inches | 62.0 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 3rd Row | 55.3 inches | 57.9 inches |
| Cargo Behind Last Seat | 21.0 feet | 23.0 feet |
| Cargo Behind Second Seat | 46.0 feet | 57.3 feet |
| Cargo With All Seats Down | 87.0 feet | 97.5 feet |
Specification table reflects the typical configuration of vehicles shown.
Conclusion
The Acadia stretches out as a longer and roomier SUV, offering more cargo room, and GMC equips it with more luxurious options. Even with a new Telluride arriving early in 2026, the first-generation Telluride still strikes the right chords as a handsome SUV that offers well-equipped value. The Acadia is good if you want maximum cargo space, but the Telluride is arguably a better all-arounder.
