Mazda CX-90 vs Kia Telluride
Summary
The Telluride leads the third row on both axes — 32.1 in of legroom against 30.4, 37.4 in of headroom against 36.9 — and cargo everywhere, by a lot: 22.3 vs 14.9 cu ft behind the third row, 48.7 vs 40.0 behind the second, 89.3 vs 74.2 at maximum. Its second row is also far roomier, 43.0 in against 39.4.
The CX-90's case is under the floor: it is the one plug-in hybrid in the family cohort, alongside its gas line, where the Telluride's electrification stops at a hybrid. Both seat eight and tow 5,000 lb.
Money is a non-factor: $39,300 to $57,570 for the Mazda's gas range, $39,190 to $57,590 for the Kia.
The numbers, side by side
| Spec | Mazda CX-90 | Kia Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| MSRP range | $39,300 – $57,570 | $39,190 – $57,590 |
| Space | ||
| Row 1 legroom | 41.7" | 41.4" |
| Row 2 legroom | 39.4" | 43" |
| Row 3 legroom | 30.4" | 32.1" |
| Row 3 headroom | 36.9" | 37.4" |
| Cargo behind row 3 | 14.9 cu ft | 22.3 cu ft |
| Cargo behind row 2 | 40 cu ft | 48.7 cu ft |
| Max cargo | 74.2 cu ft | 89.3 cu ft |
| Exterior | ||
| Length | 201.6" | 199.2" |
| Width (excl. mirrors) | Not published | 78.3" |
| Height | 68.3" | 69.9" |
| Capability | ||
| Max towing | 5,000 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Seating | ||
| Max seats | 8 | 8 |
| Second row | Captain’s chairs or bench | Captain’s chairs or bench |
Space: the Telluride, at every position
A 1.7 in third-row legroom lead, half an inch of headroom, 3.6 in in the second row — and then cargo, where the gap stops being subtle: 7.4 more cubic feet behind the third row. With all three rows up, the Telluride carries half again as much, and the two maximums sit 15.1 cu ft apart.
The Telluride also documents two third-row LATCH lower-anchor positions and three top tethers to the CX-90's one and three.
Powertrain: the CX-90, uniquely
The CX-90 is the only model in the family cohort offering a plug-in hybrid — the electrified option beyond anything the Telluride's hybrid line reaches. This site tracks availability, not fuel economy, so the size of the running advantage is out of scope; the fact of it is verified. The dimensional figures here are Mazda's published values for the standard three-seat third-row bench.
If the plug-in is the draw, the direct answer card is best plug-in hybrid 3-row; the whole electrified family field is in the family guide's hybrid lens.
When each one fits
Kia Telluride: the roomier vehicle at every seat and every cargo position, with the stronger documented child-seat hardware, for the same money. The default answer.
Mazda CX-90: the plug-in hybrid, full stop. If charging at home and driving the school run on electricity is the goal, nothing else in the cohort offers it — and the space trade above is what it costs.
The Telluride's closer fights: Telluride vs Palisade and the Traverse three-way.
Compare legroom yourself
Find your match
Six questions, deterministic scoring, top three matches across the full directory.
Take the quizWill you fit either third row?
Open the fit estimator preloaded with the Mazda CX-90 and check both models against your height.
Best-value family 3-row
The guide lens closest to this pairing — the whole cohort re-sorted on that axis, answer stated up top.
Deciding across the whole segment, not just these models? See Best Family 3-Row SUVs — every published model, ranked from verified specs. A cross-segment pairing gets both rankings, because neither one alone covers the models on this page.