The 2023 Kia Telluride three-row SUV is already a well-deservedly popular vehicle, but for the 2023 model year, it has gotten several smart and helpful changes that make it even more appealing. Revised styling, increased tech and convenience features, and the inclusion of new ruggedized trim packages are all reasons to take another look at this competent family crossover at an affordable price.
All of this adds to what has already made the Telluride our top-recommended three-row family SUV, and it will remain so in 2023. It’s a practical and roomy car, with three rows of seats that can accommodate people. In this part, it isn’t always the case. There is also plenty of cargo space.
The safety technology works properly and does not irritate the driver. The same can be said about the infotainment system. The lack of engine options may be the only disadvantage. There is just a naturally aspirated V6 engine available in two- or all-wheel drive. There are no hybrid or turbo choices… Just a single, solid-but-unexceptional engine that you get regardless of how much you spend. If the room is a concern, consider Kia’s smaller Kia Sorento, which comes in normal and plug-in hybrid versions.
Some customers may have been disappointed that Telluride won’t be on the market until 2022. This is because the model is in high demand and there are supply worries in the auto industry around the world. Yet, Kia sold more Tellurides in 2022 — just short of 100,000 in the United States — than in 2021, and is raising its manufacturing capacity to 120,000 vehicles per year. In 2023, you should have an easier time finding one.
What is new in 2023?
2023 got a mid-cycle update that changed its look, gave each trim level new wheels, added three new paint colours, and changed the dashboard, vents, and steering wheel inside. All trims now come with a 12.3-inch infotainment display, and the SX and SX Prestige trims come with a dual infotainment and digital instrument panel under a single sheet of curved glass. With the twist of a lever in the EX grade and higher, the rearview mirror transforms into a digital camera display.
Kia’s more modern Highway Driving Assist 2 adaptive cruise control is standard on SX and higher models, and the driver assistance suite has been upgraded with more standard features. The wireless charging pad has been made a little bit bigger so that it can work with newer, bigger phones. USB-C charging outlets are available in each row of chairs.
Some models now offer new X-Line and X-Pro options, both with standard all-wheel drive, a towing mode, and a 0.4-inch increase in ground clearance for a total of 8.4 inches. The X-Line, which is available as an upgrade to the EX, SX, and SX Prestige trim levels, has taken the place of the Telluride Nightfall Edition.
It has a distinctive 3D mesh grille, body-coloured door handles, distinctive 20-inch wheels, and elevated roof rails. The X-Pro, which is available for the top-tier SX and SX Prestige trims, has all of the X-Line features as well as 18-inch black wheels wrapped in Continental all-terrain rubber and a suspension adjusted for “extra compliance.” It gets “X-Pro” badging and embossing on the seats, as well as an additional 110-volt socket in the cargo area. Lastly, its tow rating of 5,500 pounds is 500 pounds higher than that of the other Tellurides. This is because it has a bigger fan for better cooling.
What are the interior and in-vehicle technologies like the Telluride?
We’ve only called the latest Telluride, which has smooth leather, high-quality materials, and an overall plush ambience that trumps practically everything else in the class (it’s a metallic click between it and the mechanically comparable Hyundai Palisade). It is also less expensive than competitors with similar equipment.
Will the LX and EX be stylish? No. However, the overall quality of plastics, electrical equipment, and other materials should be above average. Each Telluride is also well equipped. Check out Autoblog’s pricing and features page for full details, but just know that heated and cooled seats, umbrellas, and plenty of entertainment options don’t have to cost a lot.
Every Telluride has USB and USB-C connections, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with navigation as standard. Not only will its colossal screen surprise your friends with its generosity, but it’s also one of the most useful screens on the market.
You’ll need to get one of the higher edges if you want a dual screen, wireless charging for your phone, a head-up display, and 100-volt outlets. The USB ports planted in the backs of the front seats are unique, and they also reduce the distance between the phone and the port for people in the second row. The 2023 model also has several USB-C connectors.
How big is Telluride?
The 2022 Telluride is a massive three-row family crossover that outlasts most competitors in terms of overall length and interior room. On paper, the second and third rows have the most legroom, which we’ve personally verified by easily seating two 6-foot-tall people back-to-back in all three rows. This is an extraordinary feat for any car, let alone a car in the third row. The large headroom and tilt capabilities add,
Plus a sliding second row (available as a bench seat or captain’s seat), added comfort and room on the way back. We especially enjoy the wide rear quarter windows, which keep the Telluride’s third row from feeling cramped like many competitors. The third row is accessed by pressing a button on the second-row captain’s seats (if equipped), which moves and flips the seat forward. This is useful, but the resulting gap is not large.
Even with the third seat raised, luggage space trumps most competitors. With all the seats in place, there are 21 cubic feet, compared to the 16-18 range of most competing crossovers (it’s even larger than the mechanically comparable Hyundai Palisade, which is jumbo in its own right). Now, as we found out while testing the goods for Telluride,
Achieving that maximum capacity of 21 cubic feet behind the third row requires removing the floor panel (stowed outside the vehicle), which adds 5 inches of depth, but the result is the ability to stow more luggage than any three-row crossover other than the Chevrolet Traverse/Buick Enclave.
Only the Ford Explorer and Chevy Traverse have more maximum capacity than the Telluride with all seats lower.
What are Telluride’s fuel efficiency and performance specs?
The 2023 Telluride keeps one engine option: a hard-working, normally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 that makes 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque and drives the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The front-wheel-drive Telluride is rated at 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. It records 18/24/21 mpg when equipped with an all-wheel drive. It’s not terrible for a non-hybrid in this area, but it’s also not amazing.
How do you like the Telluride to drive?
With no changes to the engine, the 2023 Telluride will feel the same to drive if you have ever driven a Telluride before. The V6 is very powerful without being exceptionally quick (or slow), and the gearbox keeps it out of the way. It won’t blow you away, but it fits with the rest of Telluride’s driving experience: forgettable but without the vices.
You can still use several of the specific drive modes to get more throttle response (Sport) or off-tank range (Eco). There’s a Comfort mode to split the difference, a Smart mode that thinks for you, and a Snow option to snow well.
The Telluride doesn’t follow in the footsteps of the Stinger or other Kia sport utility vehicles that offer snappy handling and great driving fun. There’s plenty of body roll, but it’s uncontrollable, as the suspension nimbly snaps through a turn while staying calm through big bumps or undulations.
The steering, at least in Smart or Performance modes, is also precise enough to give the driver confidence. The rest option is fantastic and allows for a lot of quick play. Truly, the Telluride offers an amazing blend of comfort and driver confidence that must be ideal for many. It also, remarkably, doesn’t drive as high as its large size would indicate. Off-road, it’s surprisingly competent, handles all-terrain well, and the traction control system works quickly to find more traction when needed.
What’s the price of Telluride in 2023?
The Telluride, as usual, drives a tough bargain. The entry-level LX model costs $37,255 (plus $1,365 for destination) with front-wheel drive and $39,255 with all-wheel drive. It’s still well equipped and features a heated steering wheel, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, and more safety systems than usual Increasing the trim level unlocks additional comfort features, smarter technology, and better materials.
The new X-Line and X-Pro models stand out here, raising the ride height, adding some rugged aesthetics, offering all-wheel drive and, in the X-Pro, all-terrain tires, and a greater traction rating. Each is available in varying degrees of equipment (EX X-Line and SX Prestige X-Line, then SX X-Pro and SX Prestige X-Pro). The SX Prestige is top-of-the-line and has all the bells and whistles to match its edgier, richer look.
Fares are detailed below, which include destination charges,
- LX FWD: $37,255
- LX AWD: $39,255
- S FWD: $39,155
- S AWD: $41,155
- EX FWD: $42,855
- EX AWD: $44,855
- EX X-Line: $47,050
- SX FWD: $47,055
- SX AWD: $49,055
- SX X-Line: $50,450
- SX X-Pro: $51,450
- SX Prestige: $51,955
- SX Prestige X-Line: $53,350
- SX Prestige X-Pro: $54,350
What Are the Telluride’s Safety Ratings and Driver Assistance Features?
Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection are standard driver-assistance features, as are rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warning, rear parking sensors, and an inattention warning system. Driver and rear passenger alert, Safe Exit Assist, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and lane-centric steering assist (Highway Driving Assist).
SX trim and higher adds a Blind Spot Camera (when the turn signal is activated, it shows a live video feed in the gauge cluster showing your blind spot), Highway Driving Assist II (adds automatic lane changes to the adaptive cruise control plus to machine learning that allows the system to adapt to your driving style), enhanced forward collision avoidance features for more driving situations (crossroads, lane changes, etc.), forward parking sensors, reverse audible warning, and reverse audible warning.
Although other competitors offer similar functionality, the Kia and Hyundai systems outperform them. The SX’s optional and improved blind-spot monitoring technology is also better than usual. We named it Autoblog Technology of the Year for its broad, effective, and unobtrusive layering of features aimed at making lane changes safer and simpler.
Although the 2023 Kia Telluride has yet to be tested by third parties, we don’t expect its score to differ from the 2022 model. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the 2022 Telluride five out of five stars for all-around and side protection from collision, and four stars to prevent a frontal collision. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2022 Telluride a Top Pick for Safety because it earned best-in-class ratings for crash protection and collision prevention. However, when the IIHS changed the way it tested, its side collapsibility went from “good” to “marginal.” The standard headlights got a “Poor” rating, but the headlights that could be upgraded got an “Acceptable” rating.
I love it how do I get it in my yard. Just need it to be electric
Yes, I love him too