Is the Subaru Outback more reliable than the KIA Telluride?

Yes, the Outback has a clear edge. Both have a good standing, but Telluride complaints include engine failure from oil consumption and rollaway in Park. The Outback's main problems are windshield cracks and battery drain. The Telluride does draw fewer complaints per 10,000 sold.

Which has more recalls, the Outback or the Telluride?

The Telluride has more. Federal recall records show 27 across 6 model years for the Telluride, against 22 across 9 model years for the Outback. The Telluride packs more recalls into a shorter span, so check that each repair was completed on any car you consider.

Which is cheaper to repair?

The Telluride, by a small margin. Independent repair-cost data estimates $573 a year for it and $607 for the Outback. That adds up to about $170 over five years. Both average 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the gap is small.

Do the Outback and Telluride both have windshield problems?

Yes. Owners of both report windshields cracking with little or no impact, sometimes while parked, and replacing the glass two or three times. Dealers often decline warranty coverage on both. Outback owners also say replacement glass needs the EyeSight camera recalibrated.

What are the worst Telluride problems?

Engine and power train problems are the most serious. Owners report heavy oil loss leading to engine failure, and several needed a new engine. Others describe the SUV rolling backward in Park into cars and houses. A blank instrument cluster is also common, often within the first few thousand miles.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback: Reliability Compared

Kia Telluride

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Outback

Good

Subaru Outback beats the KIA Telluride on reliability by a clear margin. The deciding fact is severity. Telluride owners report engine failure and rollaway in Park, while Outback complaints center on cracked windshields and dead batteries. The Telluride is slightly cheaper to repair.

How Do the Kia Telluride and Subaru Outback Generations Compare?

Most used Outbacks you will see belong to the sixth generation, which covered 2020 through 2025 and was refreshed for 2023. The 2018 and 2019 cars are fifth generation, facelifted in 2018, and 2019 is one of the weakest years. A seventh generation began with the 2026 model year, so those cars are the newest and have had little time to collect complaints. The Telluride is still in its first generation, which began with the 2020 model year and was refreshed for 2023. Its earliest cars, 2020 and 2021, are the weakest. For either model, the newest years may look clean only because they are new.

Verdict

The Subaru Outback is more reliable than the Kia Telluride, scoring 72/100 vs 66/100.

The more reliable pick is the Subaru, with a clear edge. Cracking windshields and dead batteries are its biggest complaints, and both are costly annoyances. The Telluride shares the windshield trouble, then adds engine failure from oil consumption and rollaway in Park. It also has more federal recalls packed into fewer model years. The Telluride is slightly cheaper to repair each year and draws fewer complaints per vehicle sold, so its weaker standing comes from the seriousness of its failures, not the volume.

Key Differences

1Kia Telluride costs $34 less per year to repair
2Subaru Outback scores 6 points higher in reliability
3Subaru Outback has 5 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

2Kia Telluride

—

2Subaru Outback

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair Frequency

Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback: Which Is More Reliable?

Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Kia Telluride	Subaru Outback
Reliability Score	66/100	72/100
Years Tracked	6	9
Total Recalls	27	22
Complaints per 10k Sold	23.3	26.1
Annual Repair Cost	$573/yr	$607/yr
Repair Frequency	0.4/yr	0.4/yr
Year Wins	0	6

What Are the Common Problems With the Kia Telluride and Subaru Outback?

Windshield cracking tops both lists, and dealers often refuse warranty coverage on each. After that the profiles split. Outback owners report batteries dying again and again, failing touchscreens, and steering wander at highway speed. Telluride owners report a blank instrument cluster, fogged or poorly aimed headlights, engine failure after heavy oil loss, and rollaway in Park that has hit cars and houses. Crash-linked reports cover more Outback areas: electrical (8), power train (6), and steering (4). The Telluride has crash-linked reports in electrical, lighting, and power train, but none in windshield or engine complaints.

Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback common problem areas comparison
Component	Kia Telluride	Subaru Outback
VISIBILITY/WIPER	4.2Average	8.3Above Avg
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.8Low	7.2Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	4.4Average	3.9Average
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	2.5Low	0.1Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1.7Low	0.6Very Low
VISIBILITY	0.7Very Low	1.5Low
ENGINE	1.9Low	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	1.6Low	0.4Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.4Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.6Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.2Very Low
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Kia Telluride or Subaru Outback?

Annual repair cost favors the Telluride, but only slightly. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $573 a year against $607 for the Outback. Over five years that is about $170 in the Telluride's favor. Both average 0.4 unscheduled shop visits per year, so neither sends you to the shop more often. The Outback has a 12% chance that a repair is major. No major-repair figure is available for the Telluride, so that comparison cannot be made.

How Does Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback Reliability Compare by Year?

Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Kia Telluride	Subaru Outback	Edge
2025	78/1002R / 32C	82/1000R / 43C	Subaru Outback
2024	69/1004R / 180C	82/1000R / 69C	Subaru Outback
2023	68/1005R / 161C	77/1002R / 83C	Subaru Outback
2022	63/1006R / 280C	67/1004R / 435C	Subaru Outback
2021	63/1004R / 280C	69/1004R / 283C	Subaru Outback
2020	55/1006R / 667C	60/1006R / 884C	Subaru Outback

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Kia Telluride scored 69/100 and the 2024 Subaru Outback scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Kia Telluride vs the Subaru Outback?

Choose the Outback if you want the lower risk of a costly mechanical failure and can live with glass and battery hassles. It also gives you more model years to shop. The 2025 and 2026 cars rate best, though they have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest years. Ask how many times the windshield has been replaced and whether the battery has been changed, and test the touchscreen. Choose the Telluride if a slightly lower repair bill matters most and you will stay on top of maintenance. Owners who lost engines said Kia sometimes denied coverage over missing service records, so buy only with full records. Skip 2020 and 2021, the weakest years. A 2024 or 2025 looks stronger, though newer years have simply had less time to collect complaints. Confirm every recall repair is done, including the rollaway one, and check that the instrument cluster stays lit on a test drive.

Kia Telluride vs Subaru Outback: Common Questions

Is the Subaru Outback more reliable than the KIA Telluride?: Yes, the Outback has a clear edge. Both have a good standing, but Telluride complaints include engine failure from oil consumption and rollaway in Park. The Outback's main problems are windshield cracks and battery drain. The Telluride does draw fewer complaints per 10,000 sold.
Which has more recalls, the Outback or the Telluride?: The Telluride has more. Federal recall records show 27 across 6 model years for the Telluride, against 22 across 9 model years for the Outback. The Telluride packs more recalls into a shorter span, so check that each repair was completed on any car you consider.
Which is cheaper to repair?: The Telluride, by a small margin. Independent repair-cost data estimates $573 a year for it and $607 for the Outback. That adds up to about $170 over five years. Both average 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the gap is small.
Do the Outback and Telluride both have windshield problems?: Yes. Owners of both report windshields cracking with little or no impact, sometimes while parked, and replacing the glass two or three times. Dealers often decline warranty coverage on both. Outback owners also say replacement glass needs the EyeSight camera recalibrated.
What are the worst Telluride problems?: Engine and power train problems are the most serious. Owners report heavy oil loss leading to engine failure, and several needed a new engine. Others describe the SUV rolling backward in Park into cars and houses. A blank instrument cluster is also common, often within the first few thousand miles.

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How we score the Kia Telluride and Subaru Outback

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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