Kia Telluride

Kia Telluride generations at a glance

The Telluride is named after a small town in Colorado. It is not sold in South Korea, where Hyundai, Kia's sister company, offers the closely related Palisade, and Kia limited Middle East exports to about 3,000 cars a year.

From concept to production

Kia first showed a Telluride concept at the Detroit motor show in January 2016. It used a 3.5-litre V6 with an electric motor for about 400 hp combined, a drivetrain that did not reach production. The production SUV made its debut at the same show in January 2019 as a 2020 model, and series production started at Kia's Georgia plant the following month. The old 1cars page notes that a near-production version also appeared at New York Fashion Week in September 2018.

The design team chose a boxy, upright shape instead of the softer lines of Kia's other SUVs, with a wide grille, a raised bonnet and vertical L-shaped tail lamps. In its first calendar year the Telluride found 58,604 buyers in the United States.

First generation (2019–2025): V6 and eight seats

The engine, gearbox and wheelbase are shared with the Hyundai Palisade. The all-wheel-drive system normally sends all torque to the front wheels and can move up to 50% to the rear, with modes including Snow and a centre lock. Kia quoted 0–100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, according to the old 1cars page.

Awards came quickly: the 2020 World Car of the Year, the 2020 MotorTrend SUV of the Year and IIHS Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ ratings for the 2020 and 2021 model years.

The 2023 update

A facelift shown at the New York motor show on 13 April 2022 changed the grille, headlamps and bumper and added a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel next to the central screen. The same update introduced the X-Line trim and the more off-road-oriented X-Pro.

Sales and recalls

By our calculation, US sales more than doubled from 2019 to 2025, and the first generation reached 676,879 US buyers over seven calendar years.

Large recalls affected the first generation. In March 2024 about 427,000 cars from 2020–2024 were recalled because they could roll away in Park; in June 2024 about 462,000 were recalled for a seat motor that could overheat; and in July 2025 201,149 cars from 2023–2025 were recalled for door belt mouldings that could detach. A buyer should check that all recall work has been done.

Second generation (from 2026): turbo and hybrid

The second-generation Telluride was revealed online on 10 November 2025 and shown at the Los Angeles motor show on 20 November 2025. Kia skipped the 2026 model year, and the first Telluride Hybrid left the West Point line on 24 February 2026 as the plant's five millionth vehicle.

By our calculation, the new car is about 59 mm longer than the first generation and its wheelbase about 69 mm longer. The hybrid gains 28 kW and 105 Nm over the old V6. Kia also lists ten airbags, including a new front centre airbag, two 12.3-inch screens and a Stay Mode that runs the climate control and audio for about 20 minutes on the hybrid battery without starting the engine. The X-Pro adds an electronic limited-slip differential and a centre lock that holds a 50:50 torque split.

Telluride and its rivals

The Telluride competes with three-row SUVs built for the same buyers. Its closest relative is the Hyundai Palisade; other rivals include the Volkswagen Teramont / Atlas, the Chevrolet Traverse and the Honda Pilot. Kia's own body-on-frame large SUV is the Kia Mohave, and the rest of the range is in the Kia catalogue. The car comparison tool sets any two of these SUVs side by side.