Last updated: 2026-03-04
Kia Telluride vs Toyota Venza: Reliability Compared
Kia Telluride
Toyota Venza
Choosing between the Kia Telluride and the Toyota Venza? This page compares their reliability scores, NHTSA recall history, owner-reported complaints, and estimated annual repair costs so you can make a confident long-term ownership decision between these two midsize suvs.
Our reliability scores are based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, independent repair cost estimates, and sales-normalized complaint rates. The Toyota Venza currently leads with an average score of 80/100 compared to 66/100. Scroll down for the full year-by-year breakdown, common problem areas, and repair cost comparison.
How Do the Kia Telluride and Toyota Venza Generations Compare?
Verdict
The Toyota Venza is more reliable than the Kia Telluride, scoring 80/100 vs 66/100.
The Toyota Venza outperforms the Kia Telluride in terms of reliability, with an average reliability score of 91/100 compared to the Telluride's 71/100. The Venza has a significantly lower owner complaint rate of 0.2 per 10,000 sold, versus the Telluride's 23.3, and has faced only 5 recalls in 4 years, compared to 27 recalls for the Telluride over 6 years. Additionally, the Venza has lower estimated annual repair costs at $444 compared to the Telluride's $573. These data points suggest the Venza is a more reliable choice in the midsize SUV segment.
Key Differences
- 1Toyota Venza costs $129 less per year to repair
- 2Toyota Venza has 23.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold
- 3Toyota Venza has 22 fewer total recalls
Category Scoreboard
Kia Telluride vs Toyota Venza: Which Is More Reliable?
| Metric | Kia Telluride | Toyota Venza |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability Score | 66/100 | 80/100 |
| Years Tracked | 6 | 4 |
| Total Recalls | 27 | 5 |
| Complaints per 10k Sold | 23.3 | 0.2 |
| Annual Repair Cost | $573/yr | $444/yr |
| Repair Frequency | 0.4/yr | 0.5/yr |
| Safety RatingNHTSA overall | 2025 NHTSA | 2024 NHTSA |
| Frontal | ||
| Side | ||
| Rollover | ||
| Year Wins | 0 | 4 |
What Are the Common Problems With the Kia Telluride and Toyota Venza?
The Kia Telluride demonstrates a broader range of problem categories with a total of 1600 complaints, notably in areas such as UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER, and the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, which collectively account for nearly half of all complaints. The Telluride also shows a significant number of crash-linked issues, particularly in the POWER TRAIN and SERVICE BRAKES categories, with five and six complaints respectively. In contrast, the Toyota Venza exhibits a minimal problem profile with only nine complaints, primarily concerning EXTERIOR LIGHTING and the FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, and no crash-linked incidents reported. This indicates that the Venza has fewer reliability concerns, especially in critical safety-related systems, compared to the Telluride.
| Component | Kia Telluride | Toyota Venza |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4.4Average | —None |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 4.2Average | —None |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2.8Low | —None |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2.5Low | —None |
| ENGINE | 1.9Low | —None |
| POWER TRAIN | 1.7Low | —None |
| STRUCTURE | 0.9Very Low | —None |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 0.5Very Low | —None |
| STEERING | 0.3Very Low | —None |
| VISIBILITY | 0.3Very Low | —None |
| SUSPENSION | 0.3Very Low | —None |
| AIR BAGS | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| SEAT BELTS | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| SEATS | —None | —None |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | —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 Toyota Venza?
How Does Kia Telluride vs Toyota Venza Reliability Compare by Year?
| Year | Kia Telluride | Toyota Venza | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 69/1004R / 180C | 80/1002R / 0C | Toyota Venza |
| 2023 | 68/1005R / 161C | 80/1002R / 0C | Toyota Venza |
| 2022 | 63/1006R / 280C | 80/1000R / 2C | Toyota Venza |
| 2021 | 63/1004R / 280C | 79/1001R / 7C | Toyota Venza |
Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Kia Telluride scored 69/100 and the 2024 Toyota Venza scored 80/100 — these represent the strongest model years in our tracking range.
Who Should Buy the Kia Telluride vs the Toyota Venza?
Kia Telluride vs Toyota Venza: Common Questions
- Is the Kia Telluride more reliable than the Toyota Venza?
- Based on our data, the Toyota Venza is more reliable with an average score of 80/100 compared to 66/100. The difference is modest, so both are reasonable choices.
- Which has more recalls, the Kia Telluride or the Toyota Venza?
- The Kia Telluride has more recalls (27) compared to the Toyota Venza (5). More recalls don't always mean worse reliability — some are minor — but it's worth reviewing what each recall covers.
- Which has fewer owner complaints, the Kia Telluride or the Toyota Venza?
- Adjusted for sales volume, the Toyota Venza has a lower complaint rate at 0.2 per 10,000 sold versus 23.3 for the Kia Telluride. This per-sales normalization gives a fairer comparison than raw totals.
- Which is cheaper to maintain, the Kia Telluride or the Toyota Venza?
- Based on independent repair cost estimates, the Toyota Venza is cheaper to maintain at $444/year versus $573/year for the Kia Telluride.
- Is the Kia Telluride or Toyota Venza safer?
- Both the Kia Telluride and Toyota Venza received the same NHTSA overall safety rating of 5/5 stars. Check the frontal, side, and rollover sub-ratings above for a more detailed comparison.
Related Reliability Comparisons
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How We Calculate Reliability Scores
Auto Reliability Index scores are calculated on a 0–100 scale using a weighted formula that combines multiple public data sources. Each factor is weighted based on its predictive value for real-world ownership experience.
Key Ranking Factors
Complaint Severity
NHTSA owner complaints weighted by component category (e.g., powertrain, safety systems, electronics, cosmetic) — safety-critical issues carry more weight than cosmetic ones. Adjusted for sales volume so high-volume models aren't unfairly penalized.
Repair Costs
Independent reliability ratings based on repair frequency, average repair costs, and severity of typical repairs for each model.
Recall Impact
Number of NHTSA recalls weighted by severity. “Stop driving” and fire-risk recalls are penalized more heavily than minor software or labeling recalls.
Issue Diversity
Measures how many major vehicle systems (engine, transmission, electrical, braking, etc.) have recorded complaints. A vehicle with issues spread across many systems may indicate systemic quality issues.
Scores are grouped into four tiers:
- 80–100: Excellent — Top-tier reliability, minimal issues
- 60–79: Good — Reliable with some minor concerns
- 40–59: Mixed — Notable issues, research before buying
- 0–39: Risky — Significant problems, proceed with caution
Data is sourced from NHTSA recall records, owner complaint filings, and independent repair databases. Scores are recalculated as new data becomes available. While the weighting model is proprietary, all underlying data sources are public and traceable.
See incorrect data? Report an issue