The 2024 Kia Telluride is one of our favorites in the 3-row midsize SUV class because it excels in all the areas considered important by the majority of buyers. Pricing starts at $35,990.
From value and space to styling and safety, the Telluride gets it right. That’s why it’s won every KBB Best Buy Award since it debuted for the 2020 model year. We continue to be impressed by the breadth and depth of the Telluride’s abilities, despite newer rivals like the Honda
HMC,
Pilot coming along. Even a brief scan of our consumer reviews shows that buyers are in agreement.
Kia
000270,
refreshed the Telluride last year, updating technology and refining its looks. So this popular SUV remains a great choice.
What’s new for 2024
After a mid-generation revamp last year, there are no big changes this time around. However, Kia informs us that the daytime running lights now have an amber color, while the X-Line and X-Pro variants replace last year’s dark metallic exterior accents with gloss black equivalents.
2024 Kia Telluride pricing
The 2024 Kia Telluride starts at $35,990. That’s for the base LX trim — which still has a lot of equipment, including many safety features. Where it’s available as an option, all-wheel drive costs $2,000.
| Telluride LX | $35,990 |
| Telluride S | $37,890 |
| Telluride EX | $41,590 |
| Telluride EX X-Line | $45,885 |
| Telluride SX | $45,790 |
| Telluride SX X-Line | $49,285 |
| Telluride SX X-Pro | $50,285 |
| Telluride SX Prestige | $50,690 |
| Telluride SX Prestige X-Line | $52,185 |
| Telluride SX Prestige X-Pro | $53,185 |
These are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices and do not include the $1,365 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).
Rivals include the Hyundai Palisade (based on the same platform as the Telluride, but reaches a higher level of luxury), Honda Pilot, Toyota
TM,
Highlander and bigger new Grand Highlander, Mazda CX-90, Subaru Ascent, Ford
F,
Explorer, and Chevrolet Traverse. They’re all priced starting in the mid-to-high $30K region. The CX-90 and Ascent have all-wheel drive as standard.
See: The 2023 Subaru Ascent review: A family-friendly 3-row SUV with excellent safety ratings
Before buying a new Telluride 3-row SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying.
Award-winning resale values
The Telluride took the KBB Best Resale Value award for its class in 2022 and was outperformed in 2023 by only the closely related Hyundai
005380,
Palisade. There’s every reason to assume the Telluride will make a similarly strong showing in 2024.
You might like: The handsome new 2024 Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid SUV breaks new ground for the car maker
Power, ride and handling
The Telluride SUV is propelled by a smooth, refined, and naturally aspirated (no turbochargers or the like) 3.8-liter V6 delivering a more-than-respectable 291 horsepower. No one wants to scare the rest of the family with drag-race launches, but we reckon the Telluride can zip from standstill to 60 mph in about seven seconds. What’s more important is that this 3-row SUV will get up to freeway speeds efficiently and without stress.
Comparing engine output with the competition, the Telluride is one of the most powerful. The Chevy Traverse has 310 horses, while an optional engine in the Mazda CX-90 makes 340 horsepower.
The 20-inch wheel/tire combination of some higher trims affect ride quality to a degree, but generally the Telluride is comfortable with the right amount of control and a pleasant weight to the steering. An optional self-leveling rear suspension brings even more cushioning. Lovers of high driving positions will like the Telluride, and everyone can appreciate the excellent outward vision.
All-wheel drive (AWD) is naturally part of the Telluride SUV mix. It comes with Snow and AWD Lock modes for the trickiest of conditions. All versions enjoy a standard and comprehensive set of driver assistance features. This includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and assistance when turning left at intersections.
We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize 3-row SUVs, including the Kia Telluride.
Fuel economy
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates fuel economy of the Telluride midsize SUV with front-wheel drive at 22 combined mpg combined (20 city, 26 highway). When all-wheel drive is present, economy dips slightly to 20 combined mpg (18 city, 24 highway). The slightly smaller Toyota Highlander does better by a few miles per gallon, while most other rivals are at the same level as the Telluride or slightly thirstier.
Although the Telluride is not noticeably frugal in its use of gasoline (regular is fine), it does have an 18.8-gallon tank, enabling a range of around 400 miles. This really is a great vehicle for road trips.
Spacious and detailed interior
The great Telluride revamp of 2023 brought a modernized dashboard with updated technology. A dual-screen unit is now available, bringing a digital instrument cluster to accompany the standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. At least five USB-C ports are standard throughout.
The rest of the interior is comfortable and spacious, with decent-quality materials and the ability to accommodate up to eight occupants (with a cup holder for each one). The Telluride has what’s known as stadium seating, where each row is a little higher than the one in front. But there’s still more than enough headroom to go around. Adults of average size can also fit in the third row and not complain.
Like most 3-row SUVs, some Telluride variants have captain’s chairs in the second row, lowering the occupant count by one, but enhancing comfort and improving movement into (and out of) the third row. Higher trims also add luxury items like fine Nappa leather and a Harman Kardon surround-sound system.
Behind the third row is a relatively spacious luggage area of 21 cubic feet (about the size of a refrigerator). With that row folded down, there’s 46 cubic feet. Fold down row two as well to achieve a maximum cargo volume of 87 cubic feet. These dimensions aren’t quite class-leading, but they’re (a) still really generous and (b) in a vehicle that has a lot of other great things going for it.
Two little standard details we really like: Driver Talk puts the driver’s voice through the rear speakers, so there’s no need to shout at those in the third row (unless they’re being especially mischievous, perhaps). And Quiet Mode allows those up front to enjoy the radio or whatever with just the front speakers.
Check out: The all-new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander: This 3-row midsize SUV offers expanded cabin space and a broad choice of trims
Chunky exterior
The Telluride has an imposing yet appealing chunkiness to it, even after last year’s styling revisions. The X-Line pushes the rugged envelope a little further with its own take on the grille and roof rails, plus exclusive 20-inch wheels. The X-Pro takes that attitude and makes it muddier, fitting 18-inch alloy wheels and all-terrain tires.
Our favorite features and tech
Navigation-based smart cruise control
This takes adaptive cruise control a step further by communicating with the navigation to anticipate when the road curves — it will then adjust speed if necessary. This is standard across the Telluride range.
Connected Routing
Among the features provided with the free 12-month subscription to Kia Connect Ultimate is this, which enhances the standard navigation with real-time and predicted traffic levels.
Smart Power Liftgate w/Auto Close
Available in the EX trim and up, this powered rear cargo door not only offers hands-free opening, it also has a self-closing function.
Digital key
Coming in at the SX level, the Telluride can be accessed by authorized users’ smartphones or smartwatches. If the funds allow, we think an SX version is an excellent pick because it has so many great features.
Dual-screen dashboard
Also found in SX and higher Telluride trims, this is similar to screens found in Mercedes-Benz
MBG,
vehicles. It contains two 12.3-inch displays — one for driver information, the other for infotainment — set into one elegantly curved unit.
Head-up display
Expanded to a 10-inch display last year, this feature projects crucial information onto the windshield directly ahead of the driver. Available in the SX Prestige.
Engine and transmission
There’s just one engine for the entire Telluride lineup, a 3.8-liter V6 developing 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This connects to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is the standard configuration, with all-wheel drive (AWD) on the options list — or standard in the X-Line and X-Pro variants.
The Telluride’s maximum towing capacity is 5,500 pounds, achieved by the X-Pro models. The rest of the range can tow 5,000 pounds, which is typical among midsize SUVs.
5-year/60,000-mile warranty
Along with the Hyundai Palisade, the Kia Telluride enjoys the best warranties in its class. The bumper-to-bumper coverage is five years or 60,000 miles, whichever happens first — this includes roadside assistance. Powertrains are covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Safety ratings
The Kia Telluride has received the highest accolade of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) — Top Safety Pick+ — as well as gaining a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
KBB’s car review methodology.
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
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