Designfax weekly eMagazine

Subscribe Today!

Archives

View Archives

Partners

Manufacturing Center
Product Spotlight

Modern Applications News
Metalworking Ideas For
Today's Job Shops

Tooling and Production
Strategies for large
metalworking plants

2027 Kia Telluride: All new and racking up kudos

The all-new, second-gen Kia Telluride 2027 is quickly gaining fans. Newsweek recognized the three-row SUV as one of 2026's Most Anticipated New Vehicles, and it was named "Best In Show" at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show by Cars.com. Why all the early buzz?

The flagship Kia SUV features a bold redesign and will be offered for the first time with hybrid powertrain options. It boasts luxury style and appointments, great value, seating for seven or eight passengers (depending on configuration), and enhanced technology updates, building on a history of high acclaim by the media and owners alike. With greater overall length, the vehicle also offers more cargo space and interior roominess, along with a sanctuary-like cabin.

Offered in LX, S, EX, SX, and SX-Prestige trims, as well as stylish X-Line and capable X-Pro trims, the 2027 Telluride is expected to arrive in the United States in Q1 2026. Pricing will be announced closer to its on-sale date (a 2025 Telluride starts at $36,190). Telluride arrives standard with a turbocharged powertrain and will also be available with a turbocharged hybrid powertrain (HEV) with up to 329 hp with a rating of a Kia-estimated 35 MPG combined.

The 2.5-liter turbo and 2.5-liter turbo hybrid powertrains are both enhanced for a wide range of conditions, delivering lively power and the capability for towing toys on a weekend adventure. The Telluride 2.5-liter turbo develops 274 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. This is an increase of 49 lb-ft over the previous ICE powertrain. Power is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels or available all-wheel drive. Standard on X-Pro and available on all other ICE and HEV trims, the integrated tow hitch blends into the rear bumper and can be hidden from view when not in use. When equipped, the turbo powertrain delivers up to 5,000 lb of towing capacity, while the HEV can tow up to 4,500 lb, and the available self-leveling rear suspension system delivers confidence while towing.

Telluride models equipped with all-wheel drive provide active distribution of torque to help improve off-road traction. X-Pro all-wheel-drive models with the Electronic Limited Slip Differential (E-LSD) take confident control a step further by calculating the driving conditions and controlling the AWD to modulate power from front to rear and from left to right. A center differential lock maintains an even 50/50 front/rear torque split.

The turbo hybrid powertrain ushers in a new era for the Telluride, providing confident performance and acceleration with a total Kia-estimated driving range of 600 miles. The Telluride hybrid combines the 2.5-liter turbo powertrain with a 1.65-kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motors to make a combined 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. It boasts a 38-hp increase over the powerplant in the previous Telluride (291 hp) and 77 lb-ft more torque (262 lb-ft).

The hybrid routes power through a 6-speed automatic transmission, sent to an available all-wheel drive system. The hybrid is standard with electronic dynamic torque vectoring control (E-DTVC). This system is designed to help the driver achieve improved handling and stability by leveraging braking and motor control. The result is sophisticated power delivery and handling dynamics in a smooth, quiet ride.

Regardless of powertrain, the Telluride comes standard with Rack Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (R-MDPS), replacing the column-mounted system found in the previous generation. R-MDPS offers improved feedback and responds more quickly to driver inputs. Precision is also enhanced, providing improved handling through corners and better high-speed stability. The Telluride Hybrid also features Stay Mode, which leverages the Telluride hybrid's battery pack to operate climate control, cabin lighting, stereo, and other vehicle systems for about 20 minutes or until the HEV battery is drained to about 20% without activating the internal combustion engine.

The Telluride's chiseled exterior design captures the spirit of the Rocky Mountains and its namesake Colorado town. A broad hood establishes a powerful stance, while vertical headlamps frame the high-gloss grille. Advanced lighting signatures create a high-tech, futuristic impression. Fluid body contours lend an elegant shape to the side profile, while aggressively defined triangular creases in the fenders resemble the chiseled facets of a diamond. Upward-flowing character lines give the impression of lifting the vehicle, while sculpted notches in the wheel wells are a smart and deliberate interruption. Flush door handles, as offered on the Kia EV6 and EV9 models, make for a clean and modern appearance. Such details contribute to a reduction in drag coefficient from 0.33 to 0.30.

Telluride X-Line and X-Pro variants wear blacked-out wheel arches, side mirrors, beltline trim, and D-pillars. Raised roof rails reinforce an adventurous profile and are ready to carry the gear that takes you off the grid. Up front, a bold mesh-type grille is paired with a squared-off lower black bumper. The X-Pro comes standard with wider all-terrain tires and increased 9.1 in, of ground clearance, while the X-Line boasts unique 21-in. wheels.

Inside, Telluride's cabin is both expansive and intimate; modern and yet harmonized with nature. The dash, instrumentation, and infotainment have a curved, wrap-around design. Wood-based textures add warmth, and hidden door handles tucked into the armrests blend function into form. A grip handle on the front-center console (a nod to a signature interior element from the first-gen Telluride) imbues the cabin with a sense of stability and rugged functionality.

Durable SynTex upholstery with available SynTex suede inserts boosts visual appeal. Available indirect LED ambient cabin lighting hues add a touch of aesthetic refinement more commonly found in luxury vehicles. Telluride features a new, comprehensive Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH) package. This includes enhanced triple door seals, expanded use of sound-absorbing materials, and increased door glass thickness.

The all-new Telluride treats occupants to greater comfort, including available wider front relaxation seats with power leg rests. The available Ergo Motion driver's seat uses air pockets to provide a massage, adjust cushioning, and support the driver. Also new is the available memory-enabled power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel. Dual standard wireless charging pads offer convenient charging for both front occupants.

For second-row passengers, newly available power-operated captain's seats with individual heated and ventilated seat functions provide first-class accommodations. The available heated third-row seats offer a new level of comfort to rear-seat occupants. There is an available two-tier sliding tray that also opens to reveal a functional storage compartment. Multiple USB-C fast-charging ports around the cabin make it easy for occupants to plug in devices in all three rows.

The 2027 Telluride boasts a 116.9-in. wheelbase, and 199.2-in. overall length (an increase of 2.7 and 2.3 in., respectively). This translates into greater legroom comfort in the second and third rows. A new second-row bench seat design is intended to allow a variety of child seats to remain in place while accessing the third row. It also slides farther forward than before, allowing for more room to access the third row. The increased vehicle length allows for more cargo space behind the third row and contributes to an overall maximum cargo area of 86.9 cu. ft. With the second row upright, there is 46.3 cu. ft of cargo space. With all seats upright, there is 22.3 cu. ft of cargo space (21.3 in. in Turbo-Hybrid) behind the third-row seats. Cargo area features behind the third row include a standard folding luggage table with integrated cupholders, as well as a lower storage area with movable and removable dividers for flexible storage solutions.

At the heart of the Telluride's dash is an infotainment system that is as intuitive as it is pleasing to the eyes. The innovative Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) operating system spans more than half of the dash and is available with dual 12.3-in. panoramic digital displays. The ccNC operating system features over-the-air update capability, enabling vehicle software updates, enhancing onboard systems including info-screens and navigation.

For audiophiles, the available Meridian premium stereo system benefits from two additional speakers for a total of 14 as well as a larger 10-in. subwoofer.

The Telluride SXP models also come equipped with an enhanced Full Display Digital Rear View Mirror, providing a wide, unobstructed field of view for the driver. The larger 12-in. head-up display (HUD) projects key vehicle information, including speed, turn-by-turn navigation, and safety alerts directly onto the windshield.

The Telluride X-Pro is designed for rugged excursions without compromising the dependable attributes that make it a stellar family vehicle the rest of the year. The Telluride X-Pro adds an exclusive suspension with additional stroke, e-LSD, and an impressive 9.1-in. of ground clearance, as well as multiple Drive Modes, including Terrain Mode. This rugged halo variant of the Telluride features front and rear recovery points and all-terrain tires, giving enthusiasts the critical power delivery and increased traction they need while getting away from it all.

It also delivers the technology they need to help master the trail, thanks to the introduction of the Ground View Monitor. This system displays a composite view of the ground when driving below 6 mph. It uses onboard cameras and can be selected from the new off-road vehicle status screen accessed through the infotainment system. Among other important information, the screen illustrates pitch, roll, and steering angle. Lastly, exclusive to the X-Pro, ground lighting on the front, side, and rear areas surrounding the Telluride helps illuminate your adventures.

The all-new 2027 Telluride is equipped with a robust roster of standard and available Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Highway Driving Assist, Lane Following Assist, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Warning, Driver Attention Warning, and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist. Other helpful ADAS features include Blind-Spot Collision Warning and available Blind-Spot View Monitor, which are designed to help detect vehicles approaching from behind in the next lane and, in a variety of circumstances, applying brakes to help mitigate some collisions while making lane changes.

The Telluride comes standard with a Rear Occupant Alert System, which goes beyond a mere reminder. This system uses in-cabin radar motion sensors to detect the presence of occupants in the second and third rows. Besides visual and audio warnings, the system can also send a push notification to a compatible smartphone. Among its 10 standard airbags, the redesigned Telluride now comes equipped with a front-row center airbag.

Learn more at kia.com/us/en/next-telluride.

Source: Kia

Published December 2026

Rate this article

[2027 Kia Telluride: All new and racking up kudos]

Very interesting, with information I can use
Interesting, with information I may use
Interesting, but not applicable to my operation
Not interesting or inaccurate

E-mail Address (required):

Comments:

Type the number: