What Could Be Better?
The heads-up display hasn’t changed and is still bare bones unless using Kia’s navigation. Kia’s current leasing programs/specials could be better for more people to get one.
The Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line: The Perfect SUV?
Mid-sized, three-row SUVs come a dime a dozen nowadays as just about every carmaker has one. But only some check all or most boxes for the needs & wants of the many. The Chevy Traverse has one of the best-in-class interior spaces but overall bland aesthetics. The Jeep Grand Cherokee comes close with a standard interior at premium pricing. After a week or nearly 300 miles, we may have found the best combination of features, design, and performance w/ the SX Prestige X-Line trim of the Kia Telluride.
*Our review vehicle was the 2023 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line in Wolf Gray color, starting at $52,000.*
- 3.8L GDI V6 Engine
- 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
- Active On-Demand All-Wheel Drive
- 291hp + 262 lb-ft of torque
- 20inch alloy wheels
- Heads-up display
- 12.3inch dual panoramic displays w/ navigation
- 10-speaker Harman Kardon speakers system
- Nappa leather seats + heated steering wheel
- Heated & ventilated 1st + 2nd row seats
- Seats 7
- Qi wireless charging pad
- Total of 6 fast-charging USB-C ports
This Telluride can tow up to and weighs a little over 5,000lbs.
Every friend and relative I showed the Telluride off to all had the same response, “This is a Kia?” All while in amazement and impressed. This SUV easily feels luxurious throughout the inside – from the materials, the features, and the space. It’s always satisfying to check off the box of comfortably fitting several friends over 6ft (including myself) inside without requiring any adjustments. I was also w/ the 3-rows up, I was able to fit a stroller in the trunk w/o needing to put the 3rd-row down. This is thanks to the over 178 interior cubic feet of space inside.
Our Telluride has dual 12.3inch panoramic displays providing you with the speed limit, gas, tire pressure, and drive mode on the left display along w/ navigation, satellite & terrestrial radio on the right display. While in-car touchscreen displays aren’t the best, Kia is getting better little by little in being responsive and not so much lag. Kia has another screen above the steering wheel is their 10-inch heads-up display, which offers speed limit and navigation directions.
Handling the Telluride’s audio system and the Driver Talk feature is a Harman Kardon speaker system comprised of 10 speakers, 8inch subwoofer, and an external amp. The audio quality is quite superb w/ the right amount of depth and volume. This plays a part involving the 3rd-row, drivers can use the Driver Talk feature to speak to passengers in the back using the cabin mic and speakers w/o having to yell.
For charging while on the go, the Telluride covers you and your passengers. You have 6 fast-charging USB-C ports w/ 2 in the front row, 2 in the 2nd row, and 2 in the 3rd row. Each row also has a 12V power port, a 110V AC power inverter on the 2nd row, and a Qi wireless charging pad under the heating/cooling controls. Can’t forget about wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support as well.
Our Telluride’s interior is wrapped in a Terracotta Nappa leather for seating, standard leather for the heated steering wheel + gear shift knob, woodgrain accents around the center + door panels, suede headliner, dual sunroofs w/ the fixed 2nd one in the rear, ceiling-mounted rear AC vents w/ rear passenger climate control, and Kia’s now-signature custom ambient/mood lighting w/ up to 64 colors to choose from.
This Kia offers a total of 7 seats w/ the 2nd aisle captain’s row which allows for a walkway in-between the seats to pass to the 3rd row along w/ armrests. These match the 1st-row in size and w/ 3 levels of heated and ventilated options. The 2nd-row windows also get integrated window sunshades. Leaving only the 3rd-row passenger getting the short of the stick as it’s not as roomy or offers any heating/cooling options.
Kia’s Telluride isn’t a new 3-row SUV on the market but our trim is. So what makes the X-Line trim different? Along w/ having all of the top-of-the-line bells, whistles, & features, the X-Line trim adds a new grill, roof rails, 20-inch wheels, and special springs + shocks. This helps raise its ground clearance by 0.4inches which gives it up to 8.4inches in total w/ active-on-demand all-wheel drive as a standard. Making the Telluride X-Line trim a bit higher and more equipped to handle off-road environments better than the standard Tellurides.
The Telluride is no speed demon but is far from a turtle either. Our model was equipped w/ a 3.8 liter V6 engine w/ 291hp, 8-speed automatic transmission, and 262lb-ft of torque. Kia suggests the Telluride can go from 0-60mph in about 7 seconds and live up to it. So it’s not lightning fast but fast enough to move in and out of traffic, whether on an incline or not, w/o having to slog along to merge onto highways. Making the Telluride’s overall performance as its responsive enough in acceleration and in steering and handling turns w/o feeling like you’re going to roll over.
The Telluride’s power to go is matched by its power to stop w/4 anti-lock braking systems w/ 20inch alloy wheels and downhill brake control. So not quite capable of stopping on a dime but is reactive and performs well. But being a V6 SUV doesn’t make for the best in fuel efficiency as it’s not quite a gas-guzzler but not a gas-sipper either. Not in between as the Telluride is leaning more so the guzzler side of things as it gets around 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on highways.
The Telluride is fully-loaded w/Kia’s Drive Wise smart features which are Kia’s take on smart assist, driving, and cruise control. So things like blind-spot detection, collision avoidance, lane detection, front & rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera system Kia calls a Blind-Spot View Monitor and a full display mirror which you can switch from the standard mirror to a camera-based one. These all continue to thrive over time, save for one little thing of the default sensitivity for parking sensors can be tuned down a bit for my tastes but I get it.
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