Americans have voted with their checkbooks and want bigger, roomier SUVs laden with technology. More importantly, automakers have responded by providing more choices for selecting a new SUV.

Especially popular are 3-row SUVs with room for at least seven people and engines pushing 300 horsepower. In fact, it may be the most desirable setup within the segment. Fortunately, with the 2024 Kia Telluride and 2024 Toyota Highlander around, there will always be at least two outstanding choices.

Let’s take a look at two of the best 3-row midsize SUVs in this competitive class.

2024 Kia Telluride

An instant success when it debuted four years ago and our reigning Best Buy Award winner among 3-row SUVs, the Kia Telluride pairs its stylish and rugged exterior with a V6 engine putting out 291 horsepower. It’s a great place to start for buyers who want a spacious cabin and good capability for a reasonable price.

Perhaps even more impressive is that you can dress it up, pushing it from handsome to dashing. There are 10 different trim combinations available, from the base model LX to the SX Prestige X-Pro. The LX comes with front-wheel drive, but for $2,000, you can add all-wheel drive (AWD). Once you move into the EX X-Line, AWD is standard equipment.

The Telluride offers plenty of safety and technology features, including forward collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring, all standard. There’s also five USB-C ports throughout the cabin, a free 1-year subscription to Kia Connect Ultimate, and a navigation system. Pricing for the Telluride starts at $37,585, including the destination fee.

Kia Telluride Highlights

Smooth power: The Kia Telluride features a 291-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and front- (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). That kind of power helps when tooling around town or trying to get out of town — and it’s 31 more ponies than the Highlander. Most models can tow up to 5,000 pounds, while the SX Prestige X-Pro can lug 5,500.

Good value: The Telluride won the KBB Best Resale Value Award for its class in 2022. It finished just behind its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Palisade, in 2023 and 2024. In short, you’re getting your money’s worth with the Telluride.

Safe space: The Kia Telluride can carry up to eight people, so knowing it’s a safe vehicle is essential. It features a 5-Star overall rating from NHTSA and the Top Safety Pick+ award from IIHS.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Telluride models for sale near you.

2024 Toyota Highlander

The Highlander has been a popular entry in this segment for decades. With outstanding reliability, good road manners, and plenty of versatility — including room for up to eight passengers — it’s easy to see why. It’s the old guard in this class, while the Kia Telluride is still a relative newcomer.

Now in its second year with a more efficient turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, the Highlander’s popularity continues. The Highlander is also available as a fuel-efficient hybrid, while the Grand Highlander is a longer version with more room for passengers and cargo. With an open, comfortable interior and many technological upgrades, the Highlander is still a vehicle to benchmark in the segment. Pricing starts at $40,665, including the destination fee.

Toyota Highlander Highlights

Road warrior: The Highlander is available with two versions of all-wheel drive. In its higher trim levels, buyers can choose the Dynamic Torque Vectoring system that manages torque distribution between the left and right rear wheels, as well as the front and back. It also helps with a slew of other inputs to improve responsiveness.

Safety suite Buyers of these vehicles want to be sure they’re safe, and the standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, with driving aids like adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, and even blind-spot monitoring, helps foster that sense of security. Like the Telluride, the Highlander also earns the top 5-Star crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Fuel efficient: Six-cylinder engines used to be a mainstay in this class, but the tide is changing. Toyota put a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder under the hood of the Highlander in 2023, and it posts 25 mpg combined — 3 mpg better than the Kia Telluride.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Highlander models for sale near you.

Similarities

With appealing exterior styling, top safety ratings, and plenty of technology, the Kia Telluride and Toyota Highlander make fantastic choices in the midsize 3-row SUV class.

Conclusion

These two might have more in common than they do different. The Kia Telluride boasts a blockier design, a V6 engine, and a starting price about $3,000 less than the Highlander. With better fuel economy and its own legion of faithful buyers, the Toyota Highlander also scores plenty of points. You can’t go wrong with either SUV. Our advice is to consider your budget, test them both, and see which one is the best fit for your needs.