What to Expect from the Kia Telluride?

By Product Expert | Posted in Kia Telluride, New Models on Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 at 2:05 pm

Kia Telluride Presumed Specs and Features

Who remembers the Kia Borrego? Although the Kia Sorento has been the top dog on Kia’s SUV lineup for several years, the Kia Borrego was a truck-frame-based SUV that enabled drivers to take advantage of 8-passenger seating and up to 97 cubic feet of cargo space. It had a luxurious exterior design and was loaded with technology. It was also the last Kia SUV to utilize a gas-hungry 4.6L V8 engine.

Sadly, the Borrego was too beautiful for this world. Discontinued after only two model years, the Borrego represents the volatility of the automotive market as much as anything else. When it was designed and developed, the gigantic SUV, truck-based construction and available V8 were all the rage.

Sadly, the economic downturn most of us remember from 2007-2008 made fuel more expensive and drivers less able to spend a lot of money on it. The SUV was dead and had mostly been replaced by crossovers like the Kia Sorento.

We bring up the late Kia Borrego to show that entering a new automotive segment is a substantial risk for a manufacturer. Designing and developing a vehicle that fits in line with trends can be a detriment if those trends rapidly shift.

So, when Kia announced that the Telluride concept would be going into production, we were intrigued. A full-size SUV is a spot that Kia’s lineup has been missing for a while, after all. While Kia is keeping details on the production-model Telluride under wraps, there are some things we can pick up on from clues and make guesses on based on other factors.

Here’s what we think you can expect on Kia’s upcoming full-size crossover:

1. The Kia Telluride Will Give You a Ton of Power and Space

Debuting at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, the Kia Telluride concept was equipped with a 420-horsepower engine that combined the 3.3L V6 from the Sorento/Sedona/Cadenza with a 130-horsepower hybrid system. While we’re still unsure whether this hybrid system will be carried into the production model, we expect the Telluride to up the ante from the Sorento’s 3.3L V6.

We think this could mean that the Telluride will get the thrilling twin-turbo variant from the 2019 Kia Stinger/K900. While those cars prioritize acceleration and speed from that powertrain, a focus on torque could mean higher towing than the 2019 Kia Sorento’s already-ludicrous 5,000 lbs.

We expect Kia’s new 8-speed automatic transmission to be the standard option for the Telluride. This transmission, which is now used in Kia sedans, SUVs and minivans, has been highly-rated and provides the optimal balance between fuel efficiency, driver engagement and available power.

2. The Kia Telluride Will Look Great

This one we can confirm since the production model Telluride was not only on display at New York Fashion Week 2019 but has also been seen testing with and without camouflage. Sure, design is subjective. The Telluride hits all the right notes. It’s large and luxurious grille is bolstered by strong and muscular side panels that gracefully flow back to the gigantic rear tail lights.

Check out these photos and do your best to ignore the “fashion” add-ons like the spare tire and snorkel:

3. The Kia Telluride Will Give You a Luxurious Interior

With Kia having released the following photograph of the Telluride’s interior, one thing is for sure: No luxury brand is safe.

As you can see in the photo, the Telluride looks a lot more like the K900 inside than it does even the Cadenza. For the brand that took down the German luxury performance manufacturers with their unexpected Stinger just last year, this likely means they have their sights set on the Mercedes-Benz GLS Class, BMW X7 and Audi Q7.

It also means that Kia is likely to continue their model of offering similar features, a better warranty and more value courtesy of a more affordable price tag.

4. The Kia Telluride Will be the Best Full-Size SUV in its Class

Kia’s unique focus on providing features found in much more expensive vehicles at a lower price that doesn’t get there by cutting corners or sacrificing quality/safety is almost certain to be the guiding principle behind the Telluride.

We’re sure Kia’s competitors are shaking in their boots knowing that Kia is about to up-end the entire full-size crossover/SUV class with the Telluride.

We already know that the Telluride’s warranty will be the best. Based on Kia recently taking home the title of mass-market winner from the J.D. Power Initial Quality study, we also know the Telluride’s quality will be superior even to class totems like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Pathfinder.

Finally, with more Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + winners from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety than any other manufacturer, we expect the Telluride to be a paragon of automotive safety and confidence.

5. The Kia Telluride Will be Available Soon-ish?

We don’t have a specific date for the Telluride’s arrival. Word on the street is that we’ll see a lot more of it in the first few months of 2019. With Kia’s “show and sell” methodology, we also expect it to be available within only a few months of its automotive show debut.

While we can’t yet put a date on that, we’d love to make sure a Telluride is available for you once they release. Simply click below to contact us today and let us know you’re interested. As soon as we have them here at Boucher, we’ll let you know!

For more information or to “reserve” a Kia Telluride, contact us today!

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