Expert Warns ‘Elder Millennials’ From Buying Kia Telluride. Is He Right?

At a time when the price of car maintenance keeps going up, there’s one word on everyone’s lips: reliability.

While many people enjoy working on cars, having to empty your wallet just to get your car running is never fun. That’s why, when shopping for a new car, many look to reliability as a core metric for their purchase. In fact, one 2025 study found that 65% of respondents selected “reliability” among their three most important car-brand criteria.

That said, it’s difficult to determine which brands are actually reliable — and which are coasting off of a name that doesn’t mean the same thing that it used to.

Given all these choices, some buyers do a little cursory research then come to the conclusion that they’ve found the perfect vehicle. For some, that vehicle is a Kia Telluride. This car is supremely popular.There have been over 100,000 Telluride sales annually in the US alone over the past four years.

One man says that there’s another option that you might want to consider instead — especially if you’re an elder millennial looking at a Telluride.

Is This Car Really Better Than The Kia Telluride?

In a video with over 123,000 views, TikTok user Trey (@treybugatti) says that many “elder millennials” make a single, crucial car-buying error.

In short, they tend to opt for a Kia Telluride instead of getting the “more luxurious, more reliable Mazda CX-90.”

“Because this looks nice, you thought it was nice,” he says of the Kia Telluride.

“When you start touching buttons, you don't realize they're [expletive] because you've never touched a nice button before,” he continues. “You don't touch the leather and realize it's plastic. You just see a 10 year warranty and don't question why it has a 10 year warranty.”

In contrast, he says that the Mazda CX-90 is “nicer — by a lot.”

“Sure, it doesn't look as flashy, but it's put together better,” the TikToker says. “It's more reliable, and it's the exact same money.”

As opposed to the Kia, he says that the Mazda is filled with leather and plastic that is “actually nice.”

“Nothing jumps out at you, but it's all nice high quality stuff — compared to the Telluride, which is, of course, a [expletive]box.”

Gallery: 2027 Kia Telluride First Drive Review

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Source: Jeff Glucker | Motor1

Is He Right About The CX-90?

While both cars are well-reviewed, Trey is incorrect that the Mazda is consistently rated as more reliable than the Kia.

According to Consumer Reports, the 2025 Kia Telluride has average reliability. The 2025 CX-90, in contrast, rates as “less reliable than other cars from the same model year.”

J.D. Power quality and reliability scores come to the same conclusion. Of the 2024 models, the Kia Telluride scored an 84 out of 100. The CX-90 scored a 76.

Trey is also incorrect about the interiors. The interior for both the CX-90 and the Telluride offer real leather, though each car uses the real leather accents differently. Whether one prefers one over the other is a matter of personal preference.

Gallery: 2026 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Review

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Source: Mazda

Which Is The Better Family Car?

While Trey seems to dismiss the idea that the Telluride is a better family car, there’s some evidence that it’s superior for families carrying a lot of gear with them.

According to Car and Driver, the Kia Telluride has more cargo space behind the third row, more behind the second row, and more maximum cargo overall than the CX-90. While it might not be substantially more, when a family packs for a trip, every cubic inch of cargo space is going to count — and, by the numbers, the Telluride simply has more.

Given all of this information, it’s no surprise that many commenters were skeptical of Trey’s claims.

“You called a CX-90 reliable???” asked a user.

“You’re basing your opinion on 2000’s Kia,” offered another. “Nothing jumps out because Mazda is basic. Nothing [about] the Mazda CX-90 is more impressive than Kia or Hyundai.”

“I looked into the Mazda CX-90. Cramped 3rd row and unreliable inline 6 with turbo. Expensive to [fix] and unreliable,” declared a third TikToker.

We’ve reached out to Trey via email and Instagram direct message. We’ll update this story if he responds.