2024 Subaru Crosstrek vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek retained much of its predecessor's design, yet introduced new elements like fresh sheet metal, a new chassis, and additional color options such as Sun Blaze and Sapphire Blue. The Wilderness trim offered an exclusive Geyser Blue paint job. While the wheelbase and overall length remained similar, the Crosstrek featured a steeper departure angle and slightly reduced cargo space. The base trim came with 17-inch alloy wheels and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making it suitable for off-road adventures. The new design included a frameless grille with a wing bar, giving the front a smiling appearance, and black plastic cladding with aerodynamic air inlets and outlets. The split taillight design from the second generation continued, enhancing trunk access. The Wilderness trim added unique exterior elements like a hexagonal grille and increased ground clearance to 9.3 inches, along with a ladder-style roof rack. Inside, the Crosstrek Wilderness featured StarTex synthetic leather upholstery and copper accents, with all-weather floor mats and an LED light in the cargo area.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold redesign that divided opinions, particularly with its flat, wide grille. The vehicle's personality varied with color and trim, with body-colored vertical strakes that blended better in darker shades. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and amber accent lights. The side profile showcased angular fender sculpting and black plastic tabs atop each wheel well, while the rear view adopted rounded corners and vertical taillights reminiscent of a Range Rover. Inside, the Telluride featured a simple horizontal dashboard layout with a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim offered a luxurious two-tone interior, though the silver buttons and cream-colored infotainment shortcuts were hard to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, were somewhat firm, but the surrounding materials were of excellent quality, with various trim surfaces available.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek offered two engine options: a 2.5-liter flat four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, and a smaller 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), as the manual transmission was no longer available. The CVT was refined, with simulated shift points and reduced droning, especially in the Wilderness trim. The Crosstrek Wilderness had a shorter final-drive ratio, enhancing its off-road capabilities and towing capacity to 3,500 pounds. The vehicle's steering was light but precise, thanks to a new dual-pinion steering rack. The Crosstrek's fuel economy was decent for a subcompact crossover with AWD, with EPA estimates of 27 mpg city, 34 highway, and 29 combined for the 2.0-liter engine, and slightly lower figures for the 2.5-liter engine and Wilderness trim.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Hybrid model added electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, with a six-speed transmission. The Telluride Hybrid was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims but was offered in the X-Line trim. The Hybrid provided ample power and a quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas modes. Both Telluride models were tuned for comfort, delivering a smooth ride, with the X-Pro Prestige trim offering surprising comfort despite its off-road suspension. The Telluride's handling was composed, though not particularly sporty, and the brake pedal effort was soft but responsive in panic stops.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, built on the Subaru Impreza platform, offered competitive cargo space and utility for a subcompact SUV. Rear-seat legroom and headroom were adequate, though taller passengers might prefer the front seats. The Crosstrek provided 19.9 cubic feet of trunk space, expanding to 54.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The interior featured robust, easy-to-clean materials, with a protective cargo tray standard on higher trims. The Wilderness trim added Nalgene cupholders in the trunk and all-weather floor mats.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid offered ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rear seats were better suited for smaller passengers due to low-mounted cushions. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim with the Executive package featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, though they were slow to slide and tilt for third-row access. The Telluride provided 22.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 48.7 cubic feet with the seats folded, and up to 89.3 cubic feet with the second-row seatbacks flat. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride's towing capacity was up to 5,000 pounds, or 4,500 for the Hybrid.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek featured an 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, standard on all but the Base trim. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a wireless charging pad available as an option. The infotainment system was visually impressive but suffered from glare in bright sunlight and required navigating through multiple menus for some features. In states with Right to Repair laws, Subaru removed certain features, such as remote start via the Subaru Starlink app.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The system included native navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though it experienced occasional delays and required firm taps. The climate control screen was difficult to use while driving, but physical temperature control buttons were available. The Telluride offered customizable themes for the infotainment screen and a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system on higher trims.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek had a history of receiving top safety ratings, with the 2023 model earning a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS. The 2024 model included Subaru's EyeSight safety system as standard, featuring automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The system employed a wider-angle lens for improved road visibility and included automatic emergency steering on models with blind-spot monitoring.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. Standard safety features included frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and more. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The driver attention monitor occasionally triggered false alerts at night, and the blind-spot cameras were more distracting than helpful.