Compare 2021 Ford Explorer vs 2021 Kia Telluride

Serving Maumee, OH

The Kia Telluride is substantially more expensive than the Explorer, so its burden is heavy here to come out on top. Disappointingly for Kia fans, the 2021 Ford Explorer more than holds its own on lower trims and begins to pull away and win the competition when you get to trims like the XLT. Fully loaded, the Explorer is a much nicer vehicle, and in earlier trims, it's so comparable that it doesn't make sense to pay a lot more money for the Telluride. Let's just say that the honeymoon with the Telluride has worn off, and we realize it has a higher standard to bear. Meanwhile, the Ford Explorer at Brondes Ford Maumee remains one of our most beloved SUVs.

Towing

The Ford Explorer at Brondes Ford Maumee is a better tower than the Telluride, although it's close: 5,300 pounds to just 5,000 for the Telluride. The question is, with the Telluride's fully loaded trim so extravagantly priced, why would you pay that much more money only to find out that an Explorer can out-tow you? The strong engines of the Ford Explorer at Brondes Ford Maumee are one of the reasons that so many people prefer this model to the Telluride. The Explorer's greater horsepower capability - 300 to 400 horsepower - easily outdoes the Telluride's steady but underpowered 291 horsepower. Add in greater towing capacity for the Explorer, and it's a settled contest. A test drive of the 2021 Ford Explorer will quickly verify just how much hustle its powertrain has.

Fuel Economy

Even when fully loaded and powered out, the Explorer keeps better fuel economy than the Kia Telluride. How this is so, we're not exactly sure. Kia is usually very good about fuel economy and makes sure it's under control, but the Telluride's fully loaded model gets only 26 MPG in highway miles and 20 MPG in city miles. The Explorer manages to both look more flashy and maintain 21 MPG in city dr5iving and 28 MPG on the highway. If you want long road trips in an SUV that turns heads, the Explorer is it. If you want to turn heads in a Telluride, you're going to have to pay for it (and why?). SUVs are born to roam throughout the country. It's easier to roam when you're saving a bit of money here and there at the pump. This component of buying an SUV still matters.

Exterior

Style is somewhat subjective, but the Explorer's time-tested appearance continues to be the standard in the class, even if anyone else would try to convince you otherwise. Known as the "comfort and space SUV," the Explorer still makes your heart skip a beat after all these years. Its Platinum is generously decorated with a satin aluminum lower bodyside cladding accent, Quad chrome exhaust tips, automatic LED low-beam headlamps and auto high beams, and LED signature lighting that isn't rivaled by any other SUV on the road, much less the Telluride. It also gets a unique grille with satin aluminum finish, a look that really suits the Explorer in a way that the grille on the Telluride doesn't. If you had to ask which is the better looking of these two SUVs, we'd go with the Explorer every time at Brondes Ford Maumee. Don't just believe us, though. We want you to see this one up close!

Get a test drive of the 2021 Ford Explorer at Brondes Ford Maumee today. Our friendly sales team is always up for a stroll in the 2021 Explorer. We believe once you really get your hands on the wheel - available wrapped in leather - you'll know that this is the powerful SUV for you. Contact us today to learn more about test drives and how they help you make up your mind about models like the 2021 Ford Explorer.

*All figures are EPA estimates. Actual mileage may vary.