Big Change? What in the world did KIA need to change with their Telluride?
After all, the Telluride has been the automotive equivalent of Patrick Mahomes….winning the Super Bowl in his first real year on the field…and racking up championships ever since…right?
Yep. KIA's Telluride has been out for six years now, and it's just aging like a fine wine — no need to shake the bottle.
It's still the muscular-looking three-row SUV that it always was…powered by the same reliable 3.8 liter V-6 with 291 HP…an 8-speed auto…and able to tow 5,000 lbs.
But where there were once only four trim levels, now there are ten.
If you can find a base model LX with no options, you can ride out in the Mid- $30s. And you'll still have a good-looking machine with 18" alloys, a 12.3" touch screen, one-touch sliding and folding 2nd-row seats, KIA's "Smart Key," five charging ports, auto emergency braking, smart cruise, rear parking sensors, and faux leather. Quite a value, really.
Want more? No problem. KIA has nine other trim levels allowing you to add dual sunroofs, AWD, off-road packages, roof rails, heated and ventilated first and second-row Nappa leather captains chairs, surround-view, heads-up display, premium Harman/Kardon sound, heated steering and more.
And the good part is that try as you may to option your Telluride to the proverbial gills, you'll probably have a window sticker still somewhere in the $50s.
We tested the Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line AWD that had it all…built for comfort, luxury…and work.
The X-Line came with most of the above options plus a little extra ground clearance, 20" black alloys, special trim, and a tow mode with a self-leveling rear suspension.
The list price for all of that? $54,120…and that included special "Wolf Grey paint, the Terracotta leather that you'll see in the pictures below and transportation fees.
The EPA says you can expect to get 18-24 MPG on regular with AWD. We averaged between 20 and 21 MPG for our week…getting a high of 25 on a long two-lane stretch.
Oh…and what was that "Big Change" that I alluded to at the top?
Please pardon my attempt at drama.
After being able to recognize on-coming Tellurides by their distinctive rectangular LED headlamps easily…first clear and then amber for the last couple of years…KIA has changed it up and gone with twin vertical lighting on each side.
Big Change!
Did the Telluride need any other changes?
Not that I could tell.
