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It has been almost seven years since the Kia Telluride hit the streets and became an immediate sensation. Early models sold quickly, leading to markups and extended wait lists for some buyers, but the SUV has remained popular and a strong seller in the time since. Kia skipped the 2026 model year in favor of a completely redesigned Telluride for 2027, and it’s already on sale. The new model features an eye-catching exterior design, a completely updated powertrain, and a hybrid model for the first time in the SUV’s history. Here’s why it should be on your mind the next time you’re shopping for a three-row SUV.
Kia offers gas and hybrid versions of the Telluride for 2027. A staggering number of gas trim levels are available, including:
Hybrid Trims include:
Automakers don’t generally offer this level of variety, but the Telluride is one of Kia’s most important models, and has been one of its top sellers since its debut in 2019. Pricing for the line starts at $40,735 for the LX gas model, which includes a $1,575 destination charge. The hybrid EX starts at $48,035.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so we won’t spend a ton of time on styling, but the new Telluride manages a completely fresh look without giving up the rugged, boxy design that made it stand out in the first place. It features a clean exterior with an upright grille and Kia’s new logo (not KN, for those of you wondering). The new exterior lighting elements have a more vertical design, but Kia’s signature “tiger nose” front end remains.
Kia uses a range of high-quality materials inside, and higher trims add striking accents that draw the eye and give a premium feel. The dash is curved and clean, and the move from a traditional gear shifter in the center console to a smaller stalk on the steering column created a large storage area and room for two standard wireless charging pads.
As it has done for years, Kia was generous with tech equipment in the new Telluride. It comes standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM Radio, and Bluetooth. An eight-speaker audio system is also standard, which sounds good enough to make most people forget the 14-speaker Meridian system in higher trim levels. Other standard tech features include:
Kia’s infotainment interface lacks some of the color and flash of competing systems, but that simplicity makes it more responsive and far easier to use when driving. Menus and options are clearly labeled, and the most-used features are placed close to the surface level of the system. They don’t require multiple taps or searching to use, which reduces distraction and frustration. The 12.3-inch display is bright, wide, and snappy, and it looks great mounted on the SUV’s cleanly designed, curved dash.
The 2027 Telluride’s interior feels and looks nicer than its price suggests across all trims, but the elevated experience is more pronounced in less expensive configurations. The base gas LX trim comes with cloth upper seatbacks and synthetic leather lower seating trim, while higher trims step up to full synthetic leather. Manual seats come standard, but there’s a good level of adjustability, giving the driver and front passenger a range of positions to find the most comfortable setup. Higher trims add power front seat adjustments. Heated and ventilated front and second-row seats are available, with the latter options reserved for the highest trims.
We’ve talked at length about how on-paper interior dimensions don’t always translate into usable space, but the Telluride is roomy and comfortable, making it a good option for families and people with small children in car seats. Interior dimensions measure:
Those numbers are very close to the related Hyundai Palisade, though the Hyundai offers more legroom in the first row. The Honda Pilot is slightly larger in most areas, except for front legroom, and the Toyota Grand Highlander offers a bit more third-row legroom. It’s worth noting that none of the options in the midsize three-row SUV class offer enough space in the third row to be comfortable for adults for any extended period of time. The Telluride’s “wayback” seat is acceptable for smaller children on longer trims, and it’s passable for most others in a pinch.
Cargo space measures 22.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 48.7 cubic feet with the back bench folded flat, and 89.3 cubic feet with the second and third rows down. One thing to note is that the Telluride rides a little higher than some expect, which can make it harder to load heavier, larger items. The height is more pronounced in X-Line and X-Pro trims, which have all-terrain tires that make them slightly taller. The good news is that the load floor is wide and flat, allowing the Telluride to carry large items, and the rear hatch opens with enough room to squeeze in a ton of gear. A manual rear liftgate comes standard, but higher trims offer a power gate with hands-free operation and auto-close functionality.
Kia dropped the previous Telluride’s naturally aspirated V6 engine in favor of a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Horsepower is down slightly from 291 to 274, but torque got a significant boost, reaching 311 pound-feet compared to the 2025 model’s 262. An eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are still standard, with all-wheel drive available. While it might seem like a downer to drop two cylinders and 17 horsepower, the new turbo-four’s extra torque helps keep the Telluride feeling somewhat lively. However, the SUV has never felt like a powerhouse, and almost nobody is going to take their three-row family SUV to the drag strip.
The ride quality is mostly smooth, though the Kia can feel unsettled on washboard surfaces and rougher roads. It also offers decent handling, maintaining its composure on curvy backroads and city streets, but don’t expect much in the way of steering feel. Again, this is a family vehicle that shouldn’t be expected to offer many thrills.
On the hybrid side, the Telluride retains a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and adds two electric motors for a combined 329 horsepower. It’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive by default, with all-wheel drive available. The increased power output is apparent from behind the wheel, and the electric motors improve off-the-line torque, making the Telluride Hybrid quicker and more responsive at low speeds. Electrification also helps reduce the SUV’s powertrain noise, giving it a more serene driving experience.
Kia rates the gas Telluride (FWD) at 20/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined, and the hybrid’s rated at 34/36/35 mpg with front-wheel drive and 30/32/31 mpg with all-wheel drive. No official economy numbers are available for the AWD gas variant yet, but the hybrid offers solid fuel efficiency for such a large vehicle.
It used to be possible to buy a fully-loaded Telluride for around $50,000 all-in, and while the gas version now reaches almost $60,000 with a few options, most trims still feel like a decent value for what you get. The updated styling might look a little Range Rover-esque to some, but it gives the Kia a more upscale presence, and the available matte paint colors for some trims really stand out. It offers generous space inside, and the fresh interior design makes the Telluride feel more premium than others in its class. Kia also did a good job with cabin materials, giving the SUV a good number of high-quality finishes without too much cheap-feeling plastic in lower trim levels.
