Midsize and three-row SUVs · model years 2022 to 2023
Nissan Pathfinder vs Kia Telluride: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Pathfinder looks better on 1 and the Telluride on 0, with 6 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 22, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2022 to 2023 | Pathfinder | Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.9% | 2.8% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.4% | 1.1% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 23,000 | 21,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 3.0 | 5.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 0 | 0 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Pathfinder owners complain about most is brakes; for the Telluride it is electrical. Complaints citing brakes make up 22% of all Pathfinder complaints, against 3.8% on the Telluride. The Telluride leans the other way on windshield and wipers: 19% of its complaints, against 5.4% for the Pathfinder.
Nissan PathfinderKia Telluride
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Pathfinder is brake wear (23% of its complaints). On the Telluride it is windshield problems (25% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Pathfinder.
| Problem | Pathfinder | Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 23% 55most in 2022 · 20k mi | 4.1% 22 |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 0 | 25% 131most in 2022 · 4k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 10% 24 | 14% 76most in 2022 · 51k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 10% 25 | 5.6% 3059k mi |
| Seat belt or seat problems | 10% 25 | 5.1% 27 |
| Sunroof shatters | 2.5% 6 | 3.0% 16 |
| Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) | 2.1% 5 | 2.8% 15 |
| Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves | 2.1% 5 | 2.4% 13 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Pathfinder complaints that give a mileage come before 23,000 miles, and half the Telluride complaints before 21,000. 87% of Pathfinder reports and 77% of Telluride reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Nissan PathfinderKia Telluride
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 70 for the Pathfinder and 90 for the Telluride.
Worst and best years
The 2014 Pathfinder draws 1.8 times the complaints of a typical Pathfinder year for its age. The 2020 Telluride draws 1.7 times the complaints of a typical Telluride year for its age.
Nissan PathfinderKia Telluride
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Telluride draws more recalls: 5.0 campaigns per model year against 3.0 for the Pathfinder. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Nissan Pathfinder
6 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: seats (4), latches/locks/linkages (1) and backup camera (1).
Kia Telluride
10 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (3), seats (2) and tires (1).
- 24V-214 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 2 model years
- 24V-407 (seats) covers 2 model years
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (2.9% and 2.8%). Fire reports: 1 for the Pathfinder and 6 for the Telluride.
Nissan PathfinderKia Telluride
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Nissan Pathfinder or the Kia Telluride more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Pathfinder looks better on 1 and the Telluride on 0, with 6 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Pathfinder has 239 complaints and the Telluride 531 for model years 2022 to 2023, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Pathfinder or the Telluride?
The Pathfinder has 6 recall campaigns and the Telluride 10 across model years 2022 to 2023. The Telluride draws more recalls: 5.0 campaigns per model year against 3.0 for the Pathfinder.
What are the most common problems on the Pathfinder and the Telluride?
The most reported problem on the Pathfinder is brake wear (23% of its complaints). On the Telluride it is windshield problems (25% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Pathfinder.
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