Kia took the wraps off the second-gen Telluride recently, which is all set to go on sale in the U.S. market in the first quarter of 2026 as a 2027 model. The new Telluride will be manufactured at Kia’s West Point, Georgia, facility. Pricing will be disclosed closer to the sale date.
In the U.S. market, the new Telluride will be offered in 7 trims, including LX, S, EX, SX, SX-Prestige, X-Line and X-Pro trims. As for the design, well, Hyundai-Kia designers continue to churn out polarising designs, just like the folks from Munich. The lesser trims look a lot more polarising compared with the X-Line and X-Pro trims—which have darker front fascias. But anyway, despite looking boxier with sharper angles than before, the gen Telluride is claimed to have a drag co-efficient of 0.30 Cd (vs 0.33 Cd of the previous gen).
The X-Pro comes standard with wider all-terrain tyres (with 18-inch wheels) and increased ground clearance of 9.1-inches, while the X-Line boasts unique 21-inch wheels. The X-Pro also boasts an exclusive suspension with additional stroke, e-LSD, front & rear recovery points, and an additional Terrain Mode.
As before, the new Telluride is Kia’s version of the second-gen Hyundai Palisade, and therefore, the silhouette largely resembles that of the Palisade. Which also means that the new model has grown in dimensions. It boasts a 116.9-inch (2,969 mm) wheelbase and 199.2-inch (5,060 mm) overall length (an increase of 2.7- and 2.3-inches, respectively). The increased length contributes to an overall maximum cargo area of 86.9 cubic feet (2,461 litres). With all seats upright, there is 22.3 cubic feet (631 litres) of cargo space (21.3 cubic feet/603 litres in Turbo-Hybrid).
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story then, the new Telluride offers turbo and turbo-hybrid powertrain options. The Turbo variant packs a 2.5L 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 204.5 kW (274 bhp/278 metric hp) and 422 Nm (311 lb-ft), paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. AWD is optional. A self-levelling rear suspension system can also be found in the options list. The X-Pro AWD models come with the Electronic Limited Slip Differential (E-LSD). A centre differential lock maintains an even 50/50 front/rear torque split. A built-in tow hitch with 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg) towing capacity is another key highlight of the X-Pro.
The hybrid combines a 2.5L 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine and two electric motors integrated into the 6-speed automatic transmission. Of those two motors, one is a starter-generator, while the other is for propulsion and regenerative braking. The combined figures are 246 kW (334 metric hp/330 bhp) and 460 Nm (339 lb-ft), same as the Palisade. Here too, AWD is optionally available.
The Telluride Hybrid also features Stay Mode. Stay Mode leverages the 1.65-kWh lithium-ion 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 combustion engine.
Key highlights inside include dual 12.3-inch panoramic displays, standard wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity, an AI voice assistant, optional 14-speaker Meridian audio system, Digital Rear View Mirror, a 12-inch HUD, Digital Key 2.0, optional front relaxation seats with leg rests and a driver massage function, optional heated seats for all 3-rows, and optional climate-controlled second-row captain’s chairs. Passive safety systems include 10 airbags including a front-row centre airbag. ADAS suite includes standard and optional features.
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