KIA Telluride 2020

Body, cabin and cargo space

The Kia Telluride’s muscular, squared-off lines make it look large, and it is not an illusion: it is 20 cm longer than a Kia Sorento, 10 cm wider and 7 cm higher. That places it squarely in the sights of Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.

The oversize dimensions are immediately noticeable in the middle row, with 7.7 cm more legroom than in the Sorento. Passengers can therefore move up their seats without compromising comfort to make the third row more usable for one or two adults, as long as they accept very low seating with no thigh support.

In front, multiple power settings allow the driver to obtain a commanding position without being too high perched. The cabin is so wide that the large centre console does not get in the way of tall people. The armrests, on the other hand, are so far from the seats that anyone of more modest size finds them hard to use. Several of our testers found that the seats were not as comfortable or supportive as they looked.

But that’s the Kia Telluride’s only major problem in terms of ergonomics, as once again, Kia offers up a simple and intuitive environment. The new touch screen is even more functional with its large surface and high level of personalization. The designers made sure it was oriented slightly towards the driver, but its right side is still a bit hard to reach.

The same is true for the buttons under the screen, plus the white lettering on the platinum background is hard to read in the daytime. The switches and knobs are still very useful to access the main functions.

Unlike Hyundai, which opted for a push-button gear selector for the Palisade, Kia still uses a conventional lever for its SUV. We prefer the intuitive functioning of a traditional level, but we have to admit that Hyundai’s solution frees up more storage space on, and under, the console.

Other highlights

Rear seats: middle-row 60/40‑split bench slides and folds at the touch of a button on the seat itself or in the cargo area. Cushions are flat and low but well padded. Heated captain’s chairs in SX Limited trims. Easy access to the 50/50‑split third-row bench; very low seating, firm cushions. USB ports and cup holders for both rows.

Cargo area: room for some average-sized suitcases or grocery order behind the third row. Space compares to Ford Explorer or Honda Pilot when the seats are folded. Tie-downs, 12‑volt cabin power outlet and vast underfloor compartment that includes a place to stow the luggage cover. Power liftgate restricted to SX and SX Limited trims, with efficient hands-free function.

Instruments: traditional dials, unspectacular but very easy to read. Heads-up display system is very practical but restricted to SX Limited trims.

Finish: fair, for the price; many soft-touch surfaces, several high-gloss and brushed-metal accents. Wood grain trim and perforated leather finishes looked good to some testers, cheap to others. Precise fit.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill hold
• Trailer anti-sway
• Front airbags
• Driver knee airbag
• Front side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Pretensioners for front seatbelts
• Seven/eight adjustable head restraints
• Rear occupant alert
• Safe Exit automatic rear door locking
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Rearview camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross traffic alert with automatic braking
• Forward collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian alert
• Lane departure alert
• Lane keeping assist
• Automatic high beams
• Driver attention warning
• Front parking sensors and surround view monitor (standard, SX and SX Limited; non-available, EX)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick

Visibility

Generally good, thanks to height of side windows and the relatively horizontal slant of their sill towards the rear. The wide roof pillars are a hindrance when checking blind spots, but the monitor system and large mirrors compensate adequately. Surround view system is very practical for parking.

Lighting: powerful LED low beams project a long, wide beam; high beams are even brighter, earning them an acceptable (3/4) rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Mechanical overview

The structure of the Kia Telluride is an enlarged version of that of the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. As with each new model it launches, Hyundai/Kia increased the quantity of high-strength steel and structural adhesives to make the platform more rigid.

The front strut-multilink rear suspension setup is similar to the Sorento’s. Tunings obviously take into account the Telluride’s additional 50 to 100 kg, relative to its smaller sibling. Also, the more the structure is solid, the more leeway there is for the engineers to increase suspension compliance without impacting handling.

The Kia Telluride’s V6 is based on the 3.3 litre that powers the Sorento. Hyundai/Kia boosted its capacity to 3.8 litres for their large SUVs to compensate the use of an Atkinson type combustion cycle, which favours fuel economy over low-speed torque. All in all, the two engines produce quite similar power and deliver a combined fuel consumption rating of 11.2 L/100 km.

The automatic transmission has eight speeds and a manual mode accessible via the shift lever. A dial knob offers a choice of Eco, Comfort and Sport modes, as desired. In Smart position, the vehicle alternates between the modes depending on driver comportment. The driver can also modify the functioning of the all-wheel-drive system by selecting either Snow or Lock.

In maximum grip conditions, all power is sent to the front wheels in Eco and Smart modes. Comfort and Snow modes direct at least 20 percent of power to the rear wheels; Sport mode increases the minimum proportion to 35 percent.

On slippery pavement, the front-to-rear split can reach up to 80‑20 in Eco mode, 65‑35 in Comfort and 50‑50 in Smart, Sport and Snow. Lock position blocks traction at 50‑50 up to a predetermined speed.

Driving impressions

Smooth is the word at the wheel of the Kia Telluride. It starts with the engine, which functions with a subtle and refined sonority at all times. It is at ease at the high rpm levels necessary to deliver maximum torque.

The power delivery is still completely linear, thanks to the automatic transmission’s well-spaced gears—far removed from the jerky response of certain four-cylinder turbo engines, like the Hyundai Santa Fe’s 2.0-litre, for example. Moreover, the transmission displays none of the jerky shifts often linked to recent multi-speed gear boxes. The only irritant is having to insist at times to get it to downshift, even on a relatively smooth incline.

The Telluride really shines during long trips on the highway, first of all thanks to its impressively quiet ride. There is a bit of wind noise, but not enough to disturb a conversation. The suspension absorbs long pavement ripples with no unpleasant bouncing and delivers very good stability, even on deeply rutted surfaces.

The steering provides relatively precise directional stability despite its low feedback. The lack of road feel coupled with notable body lean makes for unenthusiastic cornering. These reactions come as no surprise for an SUV of the size of the Telluride, and at least it all occurs progressively.

The same cannot be said for the driver aid systems. Lane departure alert and lane keeping assist often intervene in an abrupt and unexpected manner, and they end up being switched off. The adaptive cruise control system is no model of smoothness, either; fortunately, Kia always includes a traditional cruise control mode.

Other highlights

Braking: powerful and stable panic stops. Easily modulated pedal, without unnecessary initial dead play. Noteworthy improvement relative to the Kia Sorento.