2026 Dodge Durango vs 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2026 Dodge Durango retained its rugged charm despite its age, with a design that had seen minimal changes since its third generation debuted in 2011. Dodge managed to keep the Durango relevant with periodic updates, such as the 2021 refresh that included a new grille, lighting, and bumpers, along with an overhauled dashboard. The Durango's exterior, with its chunky fenders and smooth body panels, maintained a timeless appeal. The America250 package introduced in 2026 added unique touches like black leather seats with blue perforations and flag graphics, enhancing its distinctive look. Inside, the Durango's interior showed its age with older switch styles and plastic materials, but it offered a refreshingly analog experience with logical controls and a large, flush touchscreen.

In contrast, the 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold and modern design that could polarize opinions. Its grille, spanning the entire width of the front end, was a point of contention, while the body-colored vertical strakes varied in appeal depending on the paint color. The Telluride's side profile featured angular fender sculpting and unique black plastic tabs, adding to its boldness. The rear view, with rounded corners and vertical taillights, drew comparisons to a Range Rover. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, offering a simple horizontal dashboard layout and a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, with its optional Executive package, added a luxurious touch reminiscent of Volvo, though some button labeling was difficult to read.

The 2026 Dodge Durango was known for its powerful V8 engines, with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 producing 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, significantly boosting towing capacity to 8,700 pounds. The base 3.6-liter V6, with 295 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, struggled to move the Durango's 5,000-pound weight. The SRT Hellcat, with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, delivered an insane 710 hp, while the 6.4-liter V8 on the Durango R/T offered 475 hp and 470 lb-ft. Despite its power, the Durango's fuel efficiency was poor, with the Hemi V8 achieving 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. The Durango's handling was commendable, with minimal body roll, but steering accuracy was lacking, and the ride was stiff across trims.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid combined a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electric motors, producing 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. The Hybrid's power delivery was smooth and quiet, with seamless transitions between electric and gas modes. The Telluride's ride was tuned for comfort, with the X-Pro Prestige trim offering a surprisingly smooth ride despite its off-road suspension. The Hybrid SX Prestige had a stiffer ride due to its 20-inch wheels, but the suspension effectively absorbed bumps. The Telluride's handling was composed and controllable, instilling confidence on winding roads. The brake pedal effort was soft, requiring some adjustment, but brake response was immediate during panic stops.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered seating for five, six, or seven passengers, with a standard second-row bench seat on most trims. Captain's chairs were optional on GT Plus and GT Premium trims, providing easier access to the third row. The third row was tight by modern standards, reflecting the Durango's older chassis design. Cargo space was competitive, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.1 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers. The second row featured power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation in the Hybrid SX Prestige trim, offering comfort comparable to business-class airline seats. The Telluride's cargo capacity was impressive, with 22.3 cubic feet behind the third row and 48.7 cubic feet with the third row folded. 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 2026 Dodge Durango came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, featuring navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay. The infotainment system included performance functions like launch control in the Hellcat model. However, the Durango lacked many modern features, such as semi-automated driving and rear-seat entertainment. The audio system varied by trim, with a nine-speaker Alpine stereo standard on most trims and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo available on the GT Premium.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though it occasionally required a hard tap to register inputs. The Telluride offered customization options for the screen's appearance, including themes from NBA, National Geographic, and Disney. The SX trim and above came with a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system, delivering powerful and clear sound.

The 2026 Dodge Durango received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but recent IIHS ratings were unavailable. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitors and front/rear parking sensors. Forward automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning were standard on the GT Premium and optional on the Hellcat Jailbreak. The Durango lacked many modern driver-assist features, resulting in a low safety rating.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and highway driving assist. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The Telluride's driver attention monitor occasionally triggered false alerts, but the highway driving assist was effective on long trips.