S 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
SX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
SX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
SX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
EX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
EX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
LX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
LX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
EX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
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SX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
SX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
LX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
SX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
LX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
Overall Rating
Based on Palisade, the 2020 Telluride is the largest vehicle to walk out of Kia’s production chamber. It has massive road presence and sports a typical SUV silhouette. At first sight, you might not even believe that it is a Kia as they have put in a lot of effort to adhere specifically to the American market.
Eyeing the 7 seater SUV clientele, the 2020 Telluride looks to patch the Kia Sorento’s sales graph decline. Though the latter was a perfect and reliable SUV, the Sorento's cramped third-row space and small cargo capacity were a couple of factors that dragged its sales numbers down.
Now when Hyundai saw this happening with their sister, they loaned one of its recently developed SUVs - The Hyundai Palisade, to Kia so that they can rectify their mistakes. Kia did their part very well. They learned from their mistakes, corrected them, and even bested the Hyundai’s Palisade with the all-new 2020 Kia Telluride which shares the same underpinnings.
The second-to-top trim, “EX” makes the best value for money. You get everything with the SUV and more. However, depending on your priorities, if you are going to spend most of your time with the Telluride on well-paved roads, we’d suggest you go with the optional 20-inch wheels which certainly do justice to the massive road presence of the car. Furthermore, the optional Harman Kardon 10-speaker set will only make the Telluride’s personality more inviting.
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
SX 4dr SUV AWD (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
S 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
EX 4dr SUV (3.8L 6cyl 8A)
Based on Palisade, the 2020 Telluride is the largest vehicle to walk out of Kia’s production chamber. It has massive road presence and sports a typical SUV silhouette. At first sight, you might not even believe that it is a Kia as they have put in a lot of effort to adhere specifically to the American market.
Eyeing the 7 seater SUV clientele, the 2020 Telluride looks to patch the Kia Sorento’s sales graph decline. Though the latter was a perfect and reliable SUV, the Sorento's cramped third-row space and small cargo capacity were a couple of factors that dragged its sales numbers down.
Now when Hyundai saw this happening with their sister, they loaned one of its recently developed SUVs - The Hyundai Palisade, to Kia so that they can rectify their mistakes. Kia did their part very well. They learned from their mistakes, corrected them, and even bested the Hyundai’s Palisade with the all-new 2020 Kia Telluride which shares the same underpinnings.
The 2020 Kia Telluride is an all-new player on the midsize SUV scene - Motortrend.com
Treading on the same lines as the Palisade, Telluride is offered in four trims, namely, LX, S, EX, and the top-trim SX. Each of these trims can be either mated to a front-wheel-drive system (FWD) or an all-wheel (AWD) one. What makes this Kia stand out, however, is the fact that it offers a host of features as standard across the lineup.
The base trim “LX” flaunts various standard features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Rear Blind-Spot Collision system, Auto-dimming rearview mirror, and much more. Though, some upscale features such as the more premium 20-inch alloy wheels with black finish and Voice Control system have been reserved for the top-end trim only.
Trim |
LX |
S |
EX |
SX |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP (FWD) |
$31,890 |
$34,290 |
$37,290 |
$41,790 |
MSRP (AWD) |
$33,890 |
$36,290 |
$39,290 |
$43,790 |
Key Features |
18-inch Alloy Wheels |
Adds/Upgrades to LX |
Adds/Upgrades to S |
Adds/Upgrades to EX |
8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment | 20-inch Alloy wheels | 18-inch Alloy Wheels machine finished | 20-inch alloy wheels finished in black | |
Automatic Projector-Beam Headlamps |
LED positioning lights |
Ventilated front seats |
64-color mood lighting |
|
Adaptive Cruise Control |
Reverse Parking distance warning |
Leather seats |
Blind Spot view monitor |
|
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto |
Leather-wrapped steering wheel |
Enhanced navigation system |
High beam assist |
|
Sound-absorbing windshield glass |
Dual chrome exhaust tips |
Smart powered liftgate |
Harman Kardon 10-speaker audio system |
|
|
Second-row Captain Chairs |
10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment |
7.0-inch infotainment in the meter console |
While you might be hesitant to consider the base variant, let us remind you that the Koreans are quite generous in offering standard features in their vehicles. Hence, the base trim “LX” has been well-loaded with everything, starting from entertainment and comfort needs all the way to some best-in-class safety tech.
The second-to-top trim, “EX” makes the best value for money. And, depending on your priorities, if you are going to spend most of your time with the Telluride on well-paved roads, we’d suggest you go with the optional 20-inch wheels which certainly do justice to the massive road presence of the car. Furthermore, the optional Harman Kardon 10-speaker set will only make the Telluride’s personality more inviting.
the Telluride impressed us almost as much as the epic scenery - Kbb.com
Under the bonnet of the 2020, Kia Telluride resides the same 3.8-liter, naturally aspirated V6 pumping 291 hp of power and 262 lb.-ft. of torque. All that power from the V6 is sent to the front two-wheels by default but you can opt for the all-wheel-drive unit. That optional drivetrain does not affect performance by much but definitely makes handling the Telluride much easier.
The engine in the Telluride is more inclined towards being calm and composed rather than being eager to rev. But it gets the job done together with the eight-speed automatic transmission, which is quite precise. The AWD setup makes overtaking more fun as opposed to the standard FWD.
The 2020 Kia Telluride can accelerate from 0-60 mph in a span of 7.2 seconds and can clear the quarter-mile mark in 15.4 seconds. The sprinting figures are definitely not something that may rejoice you. However, the only upside here is the fact that there is no turbo-lag.
Model |
2020 Kia Telluride |
2020 Honda Pilot |
2020 Chevrolet Traverse |
2020 Hyundai Palisade |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$31,890 |
$31,550 |
$30,995 |
$31,550 |
Engine |
3.8L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.5L Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.6L Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.8L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
Drivetrain |
FWD/AWD | FWD/AWD | FWD/AWD | FWD/AWD |
Transmission |
8-Speed Automatic |
6-Speed Automatic |
9-Speed Shiftable Automatic |
8-Speed Automatic |
Power |
291 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
280 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
310 hp @ 6,800 rpm |
291 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
Torque |
262 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm |
262 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm |
266 lb-ft @ 2,800 rpm |
262 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm |
0-60 MPH |
7.2 Secs |
5.9 Secs |
7.1 Secs |
6.9 Secs |
Quarter Mile |
15.4 Secs |
14.4 Secs |
15.5 Secs |
15.1 Secs |
Top Speed |
141 MPH |
133 MPH | 130 MPH | 130 MPH |
The Kia Telluride decelerates from a 60-0 mph in a distance of 120 feet. This figure is really surprising for such a heavy vehicle, however, it's the big set of brake rotors doing their wizardry here. The Kia Telluride gets 13.4-inch front brake rotors and 12-inch ones at the rear.
Since Hyundai and Kia share the same powertrain, we really cannot say who is better. The Traverse, however, trumps the Korean cousins with the maximum power and torque figures. The Honda Pilot comes out to be the most underpowered one here. That said, the story might change once the weight factor is considered.
typical estimates among midsize SUVs with V6 engines, though some rivals offer more fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines - Cars.usnews.com
The 2020 Kia Telluride, in an FWD configuration, churns out 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. The AWD variant of the Telluride squeezes the numbers down to 19 MPG and 24 MPG in the city and on the highway respectively. Summing up these figures, the Kia Telluride gets a combined mpg of 23 MPG in the FWD setup and 21 MPG in AWD.
Its AWD variant consumes more fuel than the former for very obvious reasons that the V6 on this one drives all four wheels. However, Kia's priorities have been clear since the beginning. The 3.8L motor under the Telluride's hood was never developed to challenge anyone for a drag race which is why it isn't really eager to get off the line either. This unit is refined, maintains a calm composure, and barely makes any noise despite the V6 setup.
Model |
2020 Kia Telluride |
2020 Honda Pilot |
2020 Chevrolet Traverse |
2020 Hyundai Palisade |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPG (City) |
20 |
20 |
18 |
19 |
MPG (Highway) |
26 |
27 |
27 |
26 |
MPG (Combined) |
23 |
23 |
21 |
22 |
Fuel Capacity (Gallons) |
18.8 |
19.5 | N/A | 18.8 |
Range (City/Hwy/Combined) (mi) |
376/489/432 | 371/527/449 | N/A | 357/489/396 |
The Telluride, in spite of a V6 engine, manages to surpass most of the rivals here. It gulps the least fuel of the lot. In fact, its Korean twin is also pushed back to the second position. The Honda comes in at third but its larger fuel tank improves overall range quite significantly.
The space feels more open thanks in part to the abundance of large windows - Edmunds.com
The massive dimensions of the Telluride translate to an equally spacious environment inside. Kia has outfitted it with plush seats surrounded by large bolsters. The Dashboard sports a clean, luxurious look which certainly plays a big part in swaying customers towards it. The dash has been well put-together with premium fitments enhancing the whole lux appeal of the cabin.
The ones on the top-trims are even wrapped in leather. The large bolsters effectively contain the body roll, but that’s only limited to a certain extent. They won’t be of much use when this Kia is driven with intent. That said, the front seats are spacious and encourage occupants to spend hours on them. The heating and ventilation just add to the comfort forte of the Kia Telluride's interior.
The other two rows are equally matched. They are easy to access and surprisingly, there is enough room for the third-row passengers as well, which is a rare sight. Furthermore, the large doors and the low-slung height of the footstep enable easy ingress and egress for the passengers. Its 21 cubic feet of cargo space is more than sufficient to carry the luggage of your entire family for a weekend getaway. However
Model |
2020 Kia Telluride |
2020 Honda Pilot |
2020 Chevrolet Traverse |
2020 Hyundai Palisade |
---|---|---|---|---|
Seating Capacity |
7/8 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
First Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
40.9/61.6/41.4 |
40.1/62.0/40.9 |
41.3/62.1/41.0 |
40.7/61.2/44.1 |
Second Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
40.2/61.2/42.4 |
40.2/68.0/38.4 |
40.0/62.2/38.4 |
40.1/60.8/42.4 |
Third Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
38.1/55.3/31.4 |
38.9/44.6/31.9 |
38.2/48.5/33.5 |
37.8/55.2/31.4 |
Cargo Capacity (with all rows upright) (ft3) |
21.0 |
16.5 |
23.0 |
18.0 |
Cargo Capacity (with third row folded) (ft3) |
46.0 |
46.8 |
57.8 |
45.8 |
Cargo Capacity (with second row folded) (ft3) |
87.0 |
83.9 |
98.2 |
86.4 |
There’s not a lot of difference between the rivals too. They are all equally matched but the Chevrolet Traverse trumps everyone else in the lot with the most spacious interior. The Telluride is just a tad more spacious than its twin sibling the Palisade, while the Honda is left for the last.
Kia has incorporated two different systems in the Telluride lineup. The base trims feature an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is just at par with the rivals. It comes mated to an 8-speaker setup which is again just mediocre. The real deal is the bigger 10.25-inch unit that features high-definition colors and is more intuitive than the former. This one has been limited to the top-trim only and is mated to a 10-speaker unit from Harman Kardon.
The 2020 Telluride also has already won a comparison test against the segment's top contenders and proved its comprehensive excellence by earning a spot on our 10Best list - Caranddriver.com
The Telluride follows a typical SUV-like silhouette with the upright C-pillars and a big, big hood at the front. Clearly, Kia seems to have studied American priorities very well. The LED DRLs and the bi-xenon projector lamps look handsome. The upright front grille also adds to the overall presence.
Come to the side and it has that baller SUV look. It is long, has big wheels arcs, and stands upright. The chrome outline around the glass-panes really escalates the lux-appeal of the car. All in all, we do not have any complaints about the exterior design of the Kia.
Some of which are LED projector-beam headlights, Dual Sunroofs, 20-inch Alloy wheels, Dual chrome exhaust tips, Shark-fin antenna, Sound-absorbing front windshield, Satin chrome surround around windows, and a Rear lip spoiler.
Model |
2020 Kia Telluride |
2020 Honda Pilot |
2020 Chevrolet Traverse |
2020 Hyundai Palisade |
---|---|---|---|---|
Curb Weight (lbs.) |
4,354 |
4,036 |
4,362 |
4,231 |
Length (in.) |
196.9 |
196.5 |
204.3 |
196.1 |
Width (in.) |
78.3 |
78.6 |
78.6 |
77.8 |
Height (in.) |
68.9 |
70.6 |
70.7 |
68.9 |
Ground Clearance (in.) |
8.0 |
7.3 |
7.2 |
7.9 |
Wheelbase (in.) |
114.2 |
111.0 |
120.9 |
114.2 |
The Traverse with its massive dimensions outshines every other rival here. The Telluride and the Palisade stack up head-to-head with each other, thus, leaving the Honda Pilot at the last. The Telluride is a handsome SUV that flaunts a lot of special touches to its exterior.
The 2020 Kia Telluride earns good crash-test scores - Thecarconnection.com
Being the latest addition to the Kia family, the NHTSA is yet to inspect the build quality of the Telluride. IIHS, on the other hand, has tested it and as expected from any Kia, Telluride has performed well. It has obtained “Good” ratings in most of the parameters.
This results from the long list of safety features in the Telluride that are offered as standard across all trims. Some of them, however, which are exclusive to the top trim are more than what you could ask for. Some of these features include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start assist control, Downhill brake control, and Forward Collision Warning.
The 2020 Kia Telluride, for the price it demands, offers more than what you could ask for. As much as we think it is a perfect value for money, the petrolheads might think otherwise, which holds true.
The Telluride isn’t meant to go bonkers on a drag strip. If performance is what sways you, then the Telluride is not what you are looking for. For everything else, the Telluride is the answer.