Choosing Your Next Adventure: 2024 Mazda CX-90 vs. 2024 Kia Telluride

Shopping for an SUV for your family can be tough, especially since there are so many options out there. Two candidates that stand out from the rest are the New 2024 Mazda CX-90 and 2024 Kia Telluride. Both offer spacious cabins, exciting power trains, and effective safety features, combining what most people want in a great crossover. Here at Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth, we decided to do a head-to-head comparison of these two vehicles to help inform your shopping experience. If you have any questions about the CX-90, feel free to contact us.

2024 Mazda CX-90 Design and Comfort

These two three-row SUVs have a lot in common, but their designs are different in subtle ways. The Mazda CX-90 goes for a more stylish and sleek exterior appearance, helping your family to travel in style. If you opt for the Telluride, you’ll get a vehicle that prioritizes practicality. Yet, the CX-90’s premium design does set it apart from the more spacious and functional Telluride. The CX-90’s cabin can be configured in several ways. The standard setup gives you bench seats in the second and third rows so that you can accommodate eight people. Alternatively, you can add captain’s chairs to the second, third, or both rear rows. Capacity is then reduced to seven or six people. It’s a similar story in the Telluride, although there’s no option to change the third row’s seating. That means your capacity will either be seven or eight people. In terms of cargo capacity, the CX-90 offers about 15 cubic feet of initial cargo space. This compares with 21 cubic feet in the Telluride behind the third row. Both vehicles can accommodate a load of groceries, but the added space in the Telluride could be useful for luggage on a trip. You can fold down the rear rows in both vehicles. In the Mazda, you get about 40 cubic feet behind the second row and 74 cubic feet with both rear rows down. The corresponding numbers for the Telluride are 47 cubic feet and 87 cubic feet.

2024 Mazda CX-90 Performance and Efficiency

When we turn to performance, we find two SUVs that are well matched. Both are powered by six-cylinder engines, the Kia with a standard V-6 and the Mazda with a turbocharged inline-six. The Mazda gets 280 horsepower from its mill in the standard setup and 340 horsepower in higher trims. The Kia’s engine pumps out 291 horsepower. There is a slight difference in fuel economy, however. The Mazda performs better in this area, making 28 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg in the city with the 280-horsepower engine. By contrast, the Telluride manages 26 mpg and 20 mpg respectively in front-wheel drive. With its stronger engine, the Mazda still has the edge, making 27 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg on city roads. The Telluride is slightly better at towing, with a 5,500-pound towing limit compared to the Mazda’s 5,000-pound capacity. However, most drivers won’t notice this difference too much. Where the difference may prove a bit more obvious is in their off-roading abilities. The Mazda isn’t really built for trails, while the Telluride can manage light gravel roads with relative ease. It has trim configurations with added off-road features, like all-terrain tires and a skid plate.

2024 Mazda CX-90 Technology and Connectivity

The infotainment and connectivity options in the Mazda and Kia are relatively similar, although the Telluride has a slightly larger display in its base setup. Mazda starts with a 10.25-inch touchscreen in the base CX-90, while Kia gives the Telluride a 12.3-inch unit. Mazda offers a similar-sized display in the higher trims of the CX-90. Standard connectivity options include smartphone compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multiple USB ports, and Bluetooth. The CX-90 is also equipped with voice recognition, and the Telluride has a navigation system and Wi-Fi hotspot. In addition to the larger display, Mazda offers upgrades like wireless device charging and a WiFi hotspot. You can also get a 12-speaker premium stereo to enjoy your favorite music. The Telluride offers an optional 10-speaker stereo, a rear-seat infotainment system with dual screens, and a vehicle intercom so you can easily speak with third-row passengers.

2024 Mazda CX-90 Safety and Driver Assistance

It’s great news for families that both the Telluride and CX-90 have extensive safety features already included in their base trims. These include forward collision warning, emergency braking, and lane departure warning. You also have blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert to help you avoid vehicles approaching you from unexpected angles. Another similarity is the driver attention monitor, which tells you when it’s time to take a break during a longer journey. The rear-seat alert reminds you to check the back rows for kids or pets before you get out of the car. There are a few slight differences worth noting. The Telluride offers rear parking sensors as standard, whereas the Mazda has them as an optional upgrade. The CX-90 includes vehicle exit warning, which alerts passengers to approaching traffic when they open the door. This feature isn’t offered in the Telluride. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Telluride five out of five stars for its safety performance. The CX-90 received “good” marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its moderate overlap and side impact tests, and “superior” for its front crash prevention.

Make an Informed Choice at Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth

Kia Telluride and Mazda CX-90 are both excellent SUVs with their own strengths. The Mazda has an upscale appearance and stands out on the road with strong fuel efficiency and a comfortable interior. The Telluride is roomier and can handle mild trails, but lacks some of the premium style of the CX-90. Now that you know more about each vehicle’s features, you can make a choice about which one is best suited to your needs. If you’d like help arranging a CX-90 test drive in Fort Worth or learning more about auto financing options from Hiley, feel free to contact us.