Kia Telluride is Redefining American Road Trip Adventures
Kia’s celebration of its newest vehicle made in America, for and by Americans. The Telluride is the company's best SUV yet.
By Tanya HaylesJune 5 2020, Published 11:51 a.m. ET
Kia’s newest award-winning addition to the family is its largest SUV, made for off-roading adventures, driving down the coast of the country from rocky mountains, pacific beaches and grandest of canyons. The Telluride, from name to concept, incorporates a powerful exterior design and premium interior which is great for families with seating up to eight. A spacious cabin with generous room including a third row, means long road trips are comfortable no matter where you are sitting.
photo courtesy of Kia
Telluride is the first Kia designed specifically for the U.S. at the Kia Design Center in Irvine, California and assembled in Georgia. In 2020, it became the brand’s most decorated SUV, and the first-ever SUV to claim the “Triple Crown” of the auto industry’s most prestigious honors including the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year from North American Car of the Year (NACTOY), the MotorTrend SUV of the Year, and a Car and Driver 10 Best and Automobile All-Stars.
With interior features that channels its inner upscale cabin with Nappa leather trim upholstery, simulated brushed metal and matte-finished wood, reclining third-row seats, interior hooks to keep packages and bags off the floor and away from feet, it’s no wonder the Telluride also won the 2020 Autotrader 10 Best Car Interiors Under $50,000 award.
The Telluride is brimming with all the technological bells and whistles one needs for expeditions: a 10.25-inch color touchscreen with a rearview monitor, parking guidance, a 10-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, wireless smartphone charging, and six total USB ports to keep everyone charged up and connected.
This SUV checks the sleek, sporty and sexy boxes, but safety is also a top priority for this ride. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Telluride a Top Safety Pick (TSP). To qualify for IIHS 2020 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side and passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests, as well as an advanced or superior rating for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating.
Additional safety features include the “Kia Drive Wise” Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian detection (FCA), High Beam Assist (HBA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist-Rear (BCA-R), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Highway Driving Assist (HDA) and the innovative Rear Occupant Alert that uses ultrasonic sensors designed to detect child or pet movement in the second and third-row after the car’s doors have been locked.
No matter the distance or destination, Kia’s Telluride is a lap of luxury on wheels, created and built in the USA with a mind for America’s diverse terrains from sea to shining sea.
SPECS
Engine: 3.8L, V6, Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) Lambda-II
Horsepower: 291 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Fuel tank capacity (gal.): 18.8 gallons
Wheelbase (in.): 114.2 in.
Length (in.): 196.9 in.
Width (in.): 78.3 in.
Layout/drive: Front-engine, front-drive or AWD
Passenger Seating Capacity: 8 Passenger
Body configuration: 5-door SUV
Brakes: Dual-diagonal, split-circuit, Power-assisted braking system
Originally printed in Bleu Magazine Issue #66.
