What do i miss by not going with AWD and other Trim related options

[ritholtz]

Hi,
I met a nice salesman willing to place an order for me at MSRP in TX. Looking into various Trim features. LX itself is pretty loaded (same as Toyota XLE). By going with EX, i can get actual leather, sunroof and some other stuff. I am thinking of going with EX. My experience is, Higher Trims always come with better sound deadening material. What do I gain by going with SX?

Between AWD vs FWD, i am thinking about going with FWD. We live in TX. It is cheaper by 2k. I can go with LX with AWD vs EX with FWD if AWD going to make big difference. Wondering what I am going to miss by going with FWD? My understanding is, it is not that much useful in TX, less weight and less maintenance.

 

[Buckeye-TRide]

Depends on how you drive. If you’re a bit more aggressive and like to push your cars on backroads etc then the AWD is likely worth it. SUVs are big and heavy with a high center of gravity and AWD systems do a great job of minimizing the effects of those things when cornering. If you don’t care about that then FWD is clearly your answer. That being said, if my option was AWD LX or FWD EX? I’d take the EX all day every day.

 

[ritholtz]

Depends on how you drive. If you’re a bit more aggressive and like to push your cars on backroads etc then the AWD is likely worth it. SUVs are big and heavy with a high center of gravity and AWD systems do a great job of minimizing the effects of those things when cornering. If you don’t care about that then FWD is clearly your answer. That being said, if my option was AWD LX or FWD EX? I’d take the EX all day every day.

Thanks for the information. We have Honda Fit EX. Planning to get 2nd car with more Seating capacity for long trips (accomdate more family members if needed). I enjoy driving Fit around the town. It is FWD car. But it has nice steering and planted road feel (I noticed a good improvement after upgrading to Micheline tires). But suspension is not that great over bad roads. During my test drive, Telluride (Even Sienna and MDX) steering felt light and moves without much effort. Not sure if it was AWD or FWD car. I think, i might be good with FWD car.

 

[jodo]

Besides the mechanical difference between FWD and AWD, I only know of one option (besides the prestige/nightfall packages) that is only available on the AWD and that's the heated steering wheel. For whatever reason you can't get that, regardless of your trim level unless you go AWD. You're in Texas so that's probably a non-issue.

I live in a state that gets pretty cold winters so I'm kind of upset I won't be getting the heated steering wheel but I couldn't justify getting AWD personally. Especially with the potential vibration issues and any other issues that come from the more complex drivetrain as well as the reduced fuel efficiency.

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[lowpost50]

Being in Texas, AWD may not be necessary.higher trims give you up graded sound system, heated AND cooled seats and a sunroof. A base model
Lx should do just fine. I live in the northeast , cold and snow dictates awd and heated seats for me. At the end of the day it's what your comfortable with...good luck

 

[2020Telly]

On the LX AWD you get 18” Michelin tires. The LX FWD gets 18” Pirelli tires. I was not happy with OEM the 20” Pirellis. I think they wore out unreasonably quick. But the quick fix was a new set of tires of different all season tires and I am more comfortable. Other than that the AWD models have a better heater for the cabin but also at the cost of a little fuel efficiency. If you don’t think you need the acceleration and performance with AWD then just get a FWD and monitor tire condition and replace with quality tires and you will be fine. If you decide to get the AWD be aware of additional potential overall cost of ownership and still make sure to not ignore the tires. This type of AWD is not 4x4 and is only as effective as the worst of your four tires since it sense and reacts to tire traction issues. Braking performance comes from the tires not AWD which is why AWD is advertised as a performance feature and not a safety benefit. All the FWD Tellurides have the same safety features as the AWD models. If you are driving in heavy snow often regardless of AWD or FWD you may want to consider tires rated for snow to provide the safest driving.

As for the other trim related options, the big two made me rule out the LX were the lack of roof rails and no captains chairs. I test drive the LX and decided the bench didn’t fit my family’s needs. If given a choice I would have preferred the 18” wheels for a smoother ride but my wife preferred the look of the 20” so even if Kia gave a choice I wouldn’t have had one . Regardless, S FWD is quickly becoming my most favorite vehicle purchase of any and I was a big Toyota fan. At almost 50k miles, still enjoying it and no regrets.

 

[ritholtz]

On the LX AWD you get 18” Michelin tires. The LX FWD gets 18” Pirelli tires. I was not happy with OEM the 20” Pirellis. I think they wore out unreasonably quick. But the quick fix was a new set of tires of different all season tires and I am more comfortable. Other than that the AWD models have a better heater for the cabin but also at the cost of a little fuel efficiency. If you don’t think you need the acceleration and performance with AWD then just get a FWD and monitor tire condition and replace with quality tires and you will be fine. If you decide to get the AWD be aware of additional potential overall cost of ownership and still make sure to not ignore the tires. This type of AWD is not 4x4 and is only as effective as the worst of your four tires since it sense and reacts to tire traction issues. Braking performance comes from the tires not AWD which is why AWD is advertised as a performance feature and not a safety benefit. All the FWD Tellurides have the same safety features as the AWD models. If you are driving in heavy snow often regardless of AWD or FWD you may want to consider tires rated for snow to provide the safest driving.

As for the other trim related options, the big two made me rule out the LX were the lack of roof rails and no captains chairs. I test drive the LX and decided the bench didn’t fit my family’s needs. If given a choice I would have preferred the 18” wheels for a smoother ride but my wife preferred the look of the 20” so even if Kia gave a choice I wouldn’t have had one . Regardless, S FWD is quickly becoming my most favorite vehicle purchase of any and I was a big Toyota fan. At almost 50k miles, still enjoying it and no regrets.

Thanks for the detailed information. I am planning to go with 18" wheels and spend on nice Micheline tires when I replace them in future.
Is FWD slower than AWD? I am also preferring bench seat with 8 seating capacity. Is center seat removable with the Bench seat option? Are there any handling and Noise differences between the Trims other than AWD vs FWD ?

 

[sprengBoard]

Thanks for the detailed information. I am planning to go with 18" wheels and spend on nice Micheline tires when I replace them in future.
Is FWD slower than AWD? I am also preferring bench seat with 8 seating capacity. Is center seat removable with the Bench seat option? Are there any handling and Noise differences between the Trims other than AWD vs FWD ?

* AWD provides better traction when accelerating (only noticeable under conditions where the front tires would lose traction). Otherwise, acceleration should be pretty similar between FWD and AWD.
* Handling and noise should be very similar as well, given the same tires, wheel size, and trim level.
* The 2nd row bench center seat is not removable.
* The EX model will, in theory, be quieter than the LX due to the addition of sound-absorbing front door window glass.
* The EX also comes with the following that the LX does not:

• Sunroof (front)
• Wireless charger
• LED interior lights
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Power-folding side mirrors
• Power liftgate
• LED tail lights
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Genuine leather seat trim
• Integrated 2nd row sunshades
• Power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats
• Few other small things here and there...

I am also in Texas and currently have a FWD Honda Pilot. Unless you plan on pulling boats up slippery ramps, offroading in slippery conditions, or traveling up north during winter, AWD is definitely not necessary.

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[ritholtz]

* AWD provides better traction when accelerating (only noticeable under conditions where the front tires would lose traction). Otherwise, acceleration should be pretty similar between FWD and AWD.
* Handling and noise should be very similar as well, given the same tires, wheel size, and trim level.
* The 2nd row bench center seat is not removable.
* The EX model will, in theory, be quieter than the LX due to the addition of sound-absorbing front door window glass.
* The EX also comes with the following that the LX does not:

• Sunroof (front)
• Wireless charger
• LED interior lights
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Power-folding side mirrors
• Power liftgate
• LED tail lights
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Genuine leather seat trim
• Integrated 2nd row sunshades
• Power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats
• Few other small things here and there...

I am also in Texas and currently have a FWD Honda Pilot. Unless you plan on pulling boats up slippery ramps, offroading in slippery conditions, or traveling up north during winter, AWD is definitely not necessary.

Thanks for the information. EX also comes with Machine finished 18" wheels. Are there any difference in handling/steering feel between 18" vs 20" wheel trims?

 

[sprengBoard]

Thanks for the information. EX also comes with Machine finished 18" wheels. Are there any difference in handling/steering feel between 18" vs 20" wheel trims?

There will be some difference, but not night-and-day. The tires on the 18” wheels have taller sidewalls which translates to a smoother ride, but potentially less precise steering feel.

 

[ritholtz]

There will be some difference, but not night-and-day. The tires on the 18” wheels have taller sidewalls which translates to a smoother ride, but potentially less precise steering feel.

Thanks for the information. Cornering might feel little different right? Kia gave the same suspension and components for all trims. There are no extra stabilization bar or suspension turning between the Trims.

 

[sprengBoard]

Thanks for the information. Cornering might feel little different right? Kia gave the same suspension and components for all trims. There are no extra stabilization bar or suspension turning between the Trims.

There may be a slight difference in cornering feel, though it'll be minimal. The only difference is tire size and type - no other suspension components are different (not including the self-leveling rear shocks included with the towing package).

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