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2022
Kia Telluride
#1 in Midsize Crossovers
Related Vehicles
Hyundai Palisade
Toyota Highlander
GMC Acadia
Honda Pilot
Overview
The Kia Telluride is so great, we named it our SUV Of The Year two times in a row. The exterior brings a rugged, yet luxurious charm, and the interior is very enjoyable for the price. The interior space is excellent; you won't be cramped, and you won't feel like you are driving a bus either. Cargo space is also decent, even when all three rows are up. In fact, it surpasses its Hyundai counterpart, the Palisade. The rugged Nightfall Edition brings in a dark, truck-like look with a mesh grille design and black leather upholstery. The color options are nice as well, varying from green to maroon to gray. No trim level lacks too much; all of the Telluride's trim levels feel perfect, as if you didn't just buy the base LX. Also, you can opt for all-wheel drive in any trim level. Overall, you'll feel great in a Telluride.
Pros and Cons
Exterior
The Kia Telluride has a great design that will catch your eye and sort of resembles a Range Rover. But, its exterior is more than just that. Kia made sure that all the colors, accents, and trim levels were just right. As we review the Telluride's unique exterior, we will observe just how carefully they designed the SUV.
Design
The Kia Telluride's exterior design is just one of the many great features that makes it such a winner. For 2022, the Telluride bears the stylish new Kia logo front and center on the new black mesh grille. Kia also got rid of the trim level and engine emblems to give it a cleaner look in the back. The Nightfall Edition's black Kia logo from last year has been replaced by a more visible grey one. The Telluride's vertically positioned headlights are placed at each side of Kia's bold 'tiger nose' grille, which has a wide Telluride emblem above it. The whole front fascia has a rugged style to it, especially when equipped with the Nightfall Edition package. For more rugged styling elements, there are also small fog lights in the bumper, which reminds us of the Jeep Wrangler and other genuine off-roaders. The edgy taillights continue the vertical design direction, and towards the side, Kia also added nice sheetmetal creases below the shoulder line and large greenhouse. On most Telluride's, you will notice that the silver window trim surrounding the greenhouse comes up slightly at the B pillar, which gives it a bit more style when it is driving by. The Telluride's sharp silhouette makes the Telluride appear like a Range Rover, which is one of a few luxurious touches. But even though Kia did develop the Telluride with a premium ambience in mind, all Telluride trim levels and packages feature black bumpers (competitors like the Chevrolet Traverse and Hyundai Palisade have body color bumpers on the highest trim levels). We like that Kia didn't follow Hyundai with thin headlight housings and large fog light housings either, instead keeping the overall look of the car mostly conventional. The Kia Telluride is also the largest vehicle they have ever built (as of now), but we appreciate that Kia didn't make the Telluride look and feel like a school bus. We think that overall, Kia has finally succeeded in making a great three-row family SUV.
Colors
The Kia Telluride is available in nine exterior colors, including Snow White Pearl (all trims), Glacial White Pearl (all trims), Everlasting Silver (all trims), Wolf Gray (EX, SX), Black Copper (S, EX, SX), Dark Moss (S, EX, SX), Ebony Black (all trims), Gravity Gray (all trims), and Sangria (all trims).
Glacial White Snow White Everlasting Silver
Gravity Gray Wolf Gray Dark Moss
Black Copper Sangria Ebony Black
Exterior Gallery
*Images from Kia
Interior
We have already praised the Kia Telluride's well though-out exterior, but the interior is what really matters. Obviously, Kia really focused on the interior features and overall experience. Kia hit the nail on the head with the interior space. It's not too big (like the Volkswagen Atlas), and not too small (like the Mazda CX-9). Also, the design is spot on, with nice wood accents all over, and seats and trim wrapped in leather. As for convenience and features, Kia placed several USB ports throughout the cabin for all passengers to easily charge their devices. There are also cool tech features that will benefit the driver and passengers. After all, the interior is where we are when driving, so did Kia keep that in mind when they designed the Telluride's interior?
Design
Kia gave the Telluride a simple, contemporary design throughout the interior, which is enjoyable for all occupants. Once inside, you can see why the Telluride's interior was designed with families in mind. Kia offers (fake) wood and silver chrome for the interior accents, while SOFINO leatherette is offered for most trims. We have noticed, though, that the base LX seats are harder and less comfortable, which can be a problem. Kia placed the UVO-powered infotainment system atop the clean and elegant dashboard for a more modern look. The large 10.25-inch touchscreen display echoes the uncluttered look, since Kia did not place any physical controls next to it. Overall, Kia Kia made sure that the Telluride's controls and features are helpful, easy to navigate and use, and, of course, look luxurious.
Storage and Space
The Kia Telluride seats eight at most, but when opted with the second row captain's chairs, the seating capacity is brought down to seven. Passengers in all three rows won't be cramped at all, and even with all three rows up, there is a very decent 21 cubic feet of space in the trunk. There is an even better 87 cubic feet available with both the second and third rows down, and with just the third row folded, there is 46 cubic feet available for your belongings. There is also a storage compartment under the trunk floor to store smaller items. Despite this, the driver won't feel like they are driving a bus. As for the actual passengers, legroom, headroom, and hip room are great as well. The front passengers will enjoy 40.9 inches of headroom, and 41.4 inches of legroom, while rear passengers have 40.2 inches of headroom and 42.4 inches of legroom. In the base LX trim level, the seats are adjusted manually, while on all other trims, the seats are 10-12 may power-adjustable. Practicality and space is just outstanding in the Telluride.
Colors
Like most other vehicles, the Kia Telluride's interior colors aren't as cool as the exterior colors, but the color scheme goes well with the materials and other elements. In the lowest trim, LX, the only color available is Black. Moving up the spectrum, the S offers both Black and Gray. For the highest trim levels (EX and SX), you can choose from Black, Gray, Butterscotch, or Expresso Brown, and in the SX Prestige Package, the headliners can be Black, Gray, or Dune Brown. But for more color, Kia added ambient lighting to the interior in all trims. The brightness and color of the lighting can be adjusted through the Telluride's UVO infotainment system. Of course, the SX features 64 different colors to choose from, but this feature can still be enjoyed in the LX, S, and EX with eight different colors included.
Materials
The Kia Telluride offers two different materials primarily for the seats. In the LX and S trims levels, the seats are wrapped in a synthetic leather called SOFINO. It is known to be comfortable, and it replaces what would have been cloth seats. The EX and SX get more prestigious with genuine leather surrounding the occupants. All of the seating materials feel sturdy and high quality, while still being soft and comfortable. This is just one great interior highlight that makes the ride better than most competitors.
Interior Gallery
*Images from Kia
Trim Levels
LX
Engine
Transmission
Seats
Fuel Type
Price
3.8 L V6
Automatic
7
Gas
$32,190
S
Engine
Transmission
Seats
Fuel Type
Price
3.8 L V6
Automatic
8
Gas
34,390
EX
Engine
Transmission
Seats
Fuel Type
Price
3.8 L V6
Automatic
7
Gas
37,590
SX
Engine
Transmission
Seats
Fuel Type
Price
3.8 L V6
Automatic
8
Gas
$42,490
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Performance
Despite offering only one engine, a 3.8 liter V6, that doesn't mean the Kia Telluride doesn't perform well on the road. Drivers will like the V6 compared to the turbocharged engines that competitors are turning to. There is never a time when the Telluride feels a lack of power. Just don't expect it to be a Dodge Durango, since the Telluride reaches 0-60 miles per hour in about 7.5 seconds. When on the highway and at top speed, the Telluride feels comfortable and smooth. Each Telluride trim can be either front- or all-wheel drive. Towing capacity reaches a decent 5,000 pounds in all variants and specifications of Kia's largest SUV.
Engine and Transmission
We're slightly surprised that Kia brought the Telluride into its second year without adding any new engine options. That's fine, as long as the performance is smooth and powerful enough, but we would have liked to see an upgraded version of the SUV's V6 on the 2021 model year Nightfall Edition to bring things up a notch, or even a hybrid to compete with Toyota's Highlander and help families inch their way towards electrification. Well, maybe next year. The 2021 Telluride's 3.8 liter V6 is enough to comfortably haul a large family at 70 miles per hour on the highway, or even tow a small camper through the desert...if that's even possible. This Kia's engine produces 291 horsepower, as well as 262 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Acceleration from 0-60 mph takes 7.5 miles per hour, so drivers might have to be patient when entering the highway, but despite that small issue, daily commutes aren't a major problem. Moving on to the transmission, it faces a similar problem. Just like the engine, the Telluride's eight-speed automatic transmission is your only choice. But there are no big problems with it so far, since it is no different than the Hyundai Palisade, since it offers the same transmission.
Drivetrains
From what we've said so far, don't think everything in the Telluride only offers one version of itself. The Kia Telluride's drivetrains are quite the opposite. The SUV offers both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, though AWD is optional, while FWD comes standard. Each trim level, LX through SX, can be opted for front- or all-wheel drive, allowing buyers to fit their needs in any trim. Even though the two drivetrains do create weight differences, neither option alters the towing capacity. Just be warned that despite the fact the Kia (and almost every other automaker) mostly advertises the Telluride going off-road, the family SUV isn't capable of tough, rocky terrain, and doesn't offer the hardcore 4-wheel drive system that Jeeps utilize. You can take your AWD Telluride to a softer off-road trail, though. Also, opting for all-wheel drive in your Telluride will raise the price by almost two thousand dollars.
Driving Feel
This aspect of the review is not available yet.
Mileage
We shouldn't have to tell you that the Telluride runs on gas, but we should tell you about the mileage. Obviously, Kia didn't waste their 2021 Telluride updates on improving mileage, so it remains the same as when it came on sale for the 2020 model year. The Telluride's mileage keeps up with the competition, at least in the standard front-wheel drive variant. For the FWD Kia Telluride, the EPA rates it at 20 city, 26 highway, and 23 combined. Unsurprisingly, the AWD Kia Telluride's MPG rating drops my a few numbers, at 19 city, 24 highway, and 21 combined. To compare, the Palisade comes in at 19 city, 26 highway, and 22 combined. The Kia Telluride's fuel tank can hold a decent 18.8 gallons, so on a family trip that includes both driving through the city and cruising down the highway, you shouldn't have to revisit the gas station for about 400 miles.
*Stats based on Kia Telluride LX FWD/AWD according to the EPA. Real-world mileage comes in at approximately 400 miles, but results may vary.
Reliability
Coming from Hyundai Motors, most Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia products are expected to last long, and the Telluride lives up to that. J.D. Power gave the Kia Telluride a reliability rating of 81 out of 100, which is great for any vehicle. On top of that, Kia gave the Telluride a compelling warranty. The Telluride's bumper-to-bumper plan lasts 60,000 miles/60 months, and the drivetrain plan covers 100,000 miles/120 months. Roadside assistance lasts unlimited miles for up to five years. For the 2020 model year, the Kia Telluride received recalls for two different issues. The first issue included defective seatbelts, and the other was for brake lights that didn't work. Hopefully, these flaws were fixed for the 2021 model year vehicles.
Kia Telluride Warranty
Basic 5 Years 60,000 miles
Drivetrain 10 Years 100,000 miles
Corrosion 5 Years 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance 5 Years 60,000/unlimited
Safety
Much like reliability, the Kia Telluride proves that safety is one of its strong suits. The Telluride has even won some prestigious awards related to safety. The NHTSA has given the Kia Telluride an overall five star rating, while the Frontal Crash Test received four stars, the Side Crash Test got five stars, and another four stars were given for the Rollover Test. The IIHS also gave the Telluride great safety ratings, with almost all of the crash test categories receiving 'Good.' For 2020, Telluride models with LED headlights were awarded the IIHS Top Safety Pick award, which is something you want your car to have.
Safety Features
Kia loaded the Telluride with key safety features to make sure that families stay safe. Even the base LX is filled to the brim with advanced safety features. Another game-changer is that Kia offers some features standard in the Telluride that buyers pay extra for in more expensive SUVs. The safety features that the Kia Telluride includes are lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, lane following assist, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, forward collision warning and avoidance, safe exit assist, rear view camera, and rear cross-traffic alert. A head-up display is optional. But safety features aren't all technology. The Kia Telluride's airbag layout includes dual front airbags, driver's knee, front side, and side curtain airbags, which adds up to seven airbags. This is the standard setup, so customers may be able to choose a different layout at some point.
Ratings
Overall
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
*Based on NHTSA ratings
Features & Infotainment
The Kia offers many beneficial features in the Telluride, making it more of a no-brainer. Even the base LX boasts things that buyers would pay extra for in competitors such as the Honda Pilot. On the outside, opening the trunk is easier than what the minivans feature, with the automatic tailgate's key recognition. Inside, you'll find an abundance of USB ports, easy access to the third row, six speakers and push-button start. What's not to like?
Features
The Kia Telluride's notable features start inside, where all occupants will enjoy the SUV's five USB charging ports and 12-volt outlets for plugging in their smartphone or tablet. Six USB ports are available, with two in each of the three rows. Speaking of third row seating, Telluride models with second-row bench seating feature one-touch third row access, where passengers entering the third row simply push a button by the door, and one of the second-row seats folds and moves forward. With most competitors, owners have to manually push the seats forward. Also, if you need more space to place a large item in the trunk, several buttons at the side wall of the Telluride's trunk allow the second and/or third row seats completely fold and stow away. As for the climate, dual-zone climate control comes standard in the Telluride, as does automatic temperature control. You'll find the rear climate controls mounted on the ceiling. On higher trim levels, like the SX, a power sunroof and front perches are available, as well as heated and ventilated seats in the first and second rows, tri-zone climate control (separate temperature knobs in the first, second, and third rows), an automatically dimmed rearview mirror, and six power outlets. Another feature that proves helpful at times is Kia's Speaker Mode, offered on the S, EX, and SX, which amplifies the front passenger and driver's voices through the rear speakers. Quiet Mode mutes the rear speakers, so the front occupants can listen to music while rear passengers are sleeping, or just relaxing in silence. The only notable feature that is not located in the Telluride's cabin is the automatic lift gate, which senses the owners key fob in his/her pocket, and opens the trunk. This is helpful if your hands are full, since you don't have to make any gesture...not even waving your foot under the rear bumper.
Infotainment
The Kia Telluride is packed with technology and an easy to navigate infotainment system, allowing families to suit their needs on a long family trip, or just on a short ride to the store. The Kia Telluride's standard 10.25-inch touchscreen features Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth, all standard. It is also connected to the six-speaker sound system, for adjusting the sound in different zones (on higher trim levels). The more expensive versions also add a surround-view camera and wireless charging capabilities. The SX gets even more luxurious with a ten-speaker Harmon Kardon premium sound system replacing the cheaper six-speaker system. All Telluride trims can include the new-for-2021 rear entertainment system as an option, to entertain the kids in the back and compete with rivals like the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder, which also offer this feature. On the Telluride LX through EX, optional ambient lighting is offered in eight different colors. The lavish SX variant upgrades this to a whopping 64 colors to choose from. Controls for this feature, like adjusting the color or brightness, are embedded in the UVO infotainment system. Finally, Kia added a lot of connectivity to the Telluride as well. With Kia's UVO Link app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, acts like a control center for you Telluride. Through UVO Link, you can remotely start the car and activate keyless entry, turn on the air conditioning or heat, or adjust the temperature.
Key Specs
Base Price $32,190
Trim Levels LX, S, EX, SX
Engines 3.8 Liter V6
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drivetrains FWD / AWD
Dimensions 197" (L) 78" (W) 69"(H)
Fuel Economy 20 city / 26 highway
Basic Warranty 5 years / 60,000 miles
5-Year Cost to Own $45,000 (est)
Seating 7 or 8
Performance 291 hp / 262 lb-ft torque
Customer Ratings
Own A Telluride? Rate It:
What's New For 2022?
The Kia Telluride sees its most extensive update yet, as it joins a majority of the Kia lineup with the automaker's redesigned logo. The new logo brings on more changes in the SUV's badging, as the bold Telluride emblem gets wider, the Nightfall Edition receives light gray logos rather than black, and the trim level and V6 badging disappears. Additionally, the Telluride's grille is now black, replacing the previous model years' chrome design. Inside, the 10.25-inch infotainment display that used to be limited to the EX and SX trims is now found in all configurations, wireless phone charging is now standard on the S trim, and automatic climate control is gained across the board. Even though more engine options would be nice, we appreciate that Kia didn't just add the new logo, instead taking the opportunity to give the Telluride an even bigger lead on its competitors.
More Coming Soon
