Used car safety, rank #60 of 188
Kia Telluride 4WD Safety Rating (2020-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020-23 Kia Telluride 4WD, a midsize SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2020-23 Kia Telluride 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 23 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize SUVs average of 24, which is 4% below the class average. That places it #60 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 66.7/100.
What the Kia Telluride death rate means
At 23 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Kia Telluride 4WD beats the midsize SUVs average of 24 by 4%. The 95% confidence interval is 9 to 38, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 38 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Kia Telluride. Its 95% confidence interval is 21β56. It is higher than the Kia Telluride's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest midsize SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Kia Telluride 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Volkswagen Atlas 2WD at a death rate of 5.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Atlas 2WD | 2020-23 | 5 (0 to 16) | 89.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Highlander 4WD | 2020-23 | 7 (1 to 13) | 87.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Volkswagen Atlas 4WD | 2020-23 | 7 (0 to 16) | 87.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Kia Telluride 2WD | 2020-23 | 8 (0 to 22) | 84.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Bronco 4WD | 2021-23 | 10 (1 to 19) | 83.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Traverse 4WD | 2022-23 | 10 (0 to 23) | 83.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Highlander hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 11 (1 to 20) | 82.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee L 4WD | 2022-23 | 11 (0 to 25) | 82.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Kia Telluride 4WD (this page) | 2020-23 | 23 (9 to 38) | 66.7 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize SUVs: 24 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Kia Telluride
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Kia Telluride we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Kia Telluride | TSP+ | 96.8 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 66.7 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Kia Telluride 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
Park outside
2 campaigns tell owners to park away from buildings and other vehicles, usually a fire risk. Check the VIN before driving it. On a car this age the repair may still be outstanding.
6 recall campaigns on the 2023 model year, covering seats, structure, power train, electrical system, air bags.
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Seats: front assembly, power adjust Park outside
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge.
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Structure: exterior trim
Risk: A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the belt molding trim assemblies as necessary, free of charge.
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Seats: front assembly, power adjust Park outside
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge.
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Power train: driveline, driveshaft
Risk: A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to manually engage the emergency parking brake prior to exiting the vehicle until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will update the electronic parking brake software and replace any damaged intermediate shafts as necessary, free of charge.
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Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge.
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Air bags: side/window
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary, free of charge.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2023. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Kia Telluride 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Kia Telluride 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 23 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020-23 Kia Telluride 4WD, 4% below the class average (24 for midsize SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 66.7 out of 100 and rank #60 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Kia Telluride 4WD driver death rate?
23 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 9 to 38. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Kia Telluride died at a rate of 38 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020-23 models.
How does the Kia Telluride 4WD compare with other midsize SUVs?
The midsize SUVs class averages 24 driver deaths per million; the Kia Telluride 4WD sits at 23. Among the 9 midsize SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Volkswagen Atlas 2WD with a death rate of 5.