AutoNSider Review | 2020 KIA Telluride SX V6 AW

Do you follow sports at all?

And even if you don’t, you’ve still gotta’ love those human interest stories about the young kid who gets called up from the minors and hits a home run his first time up to the plate.  Or the rookie quarterback who throws a touchdown on his first series as a starter…right?

Well that’s kinda’ what KIA has done with their brand-new Telluride.

They’ve pretty much hit it out of the park with their very first try at making a luxury SUV.

Oops….did I say “luxury”?

Well what do you call heated and ventilated Nappa leather plus heated and ventilated second row captains chairs…rain-sensing wipers…heads-up display…front and rear sunroofs…Harmon Kardon Surround Sound…Surround-View…parking distance warning…Android and Apple Car Play...and wireless charging?   Are these not features that you’d expect from Germany or Japan’s finest?

KIA’s new top-of-the-line Telluride SX gives you all that with three-row 7 or 8 passenger seating and a window-sticker under $47,000.   Not $57,000.    Under $47,000.   Value?   Luxury?   You make the call.

Every Telluride…even the $30,000+ base models…come with alloys…safety electronics…a strong 3.8 liter V6 that puts out a tire-spinning 291 HP and an 8-speed automatic.  And it’ll tow up to 5,000 lbs of your toys.  

Mileage?   Our AWD model was rated at 19 City and 24 Hwy.  If you don’t need the AWD, you’ll get one or two more MPG and save a little money in the process.

While this is the biggest vehicle that KIA makes, it’s only 8 inches longer and 4 inches wider than their popular Sorento.   And while the Sorento now offers a third row, the Telluride gives everyone just a bit more comfort…and a little more room for “extras”.

But content alone is not what makes KIA’s Telluride such a compelling choice.

The Telluride offers a surprisingly well-controlled ride for a three-row SUV.

It’s actually rather fun to drive.  Power and poise.   Potholes are no problem.

Excellent brakes.   Again, it’s a surprisingly solid offering for a brand-new vehicle.

There are a number of excellent three-row SUVs on the market now, and

KIA’s new Telluride has definitely joined that club!

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