Kia Telluride Hottest SUV On The Market
I’ve been hearing about Kia Tellurides being in short supply and many people having trouble finding them at dealerships. For those who do find one in stock, I hear they are being asked to pay a premium for the privilege of buying one. During our week with the vehicle I was reminded of why the Telluride is so popular-it’s packed with features, handles well, and has plenty of room for kids and cargo. In fact, close friends of ours recently purchased a Telluride based on previous reviews of ours, and they just returned from an epic road trip.
The 2021 Kia Telluride SX model I tested was a V6 All-Wheel-Drive model equipped with every option I could want or need. It weighed in with a total MSRP of $49,216 including destination fees. The most expensive option was the Prestige package which included a heads-up display, Nappa leather seating trim, a premium cloth headliner, heated and ventilated second row seats and rain-sensing wipers. Our son noticed the headliner almost immediately and said “the roof is fuzzy!” The total for all these extras came to $2,300. Those not wanting to land into that price range will be pleased to know that the base LX model is priced at only $32,190.
Packed With Equipment
The list of standard equipment in the Telluride was long and impressive. The powerplant included a 3.8 liter gas direct injection V6 engine mated to a six speed automatic transmission, active-on all wheel drive and the drive mode select feature.
Blind-spot collision avoidance, front collision avoidance and rear cross traffic collision avoidance and lane keeping assist were all standard safety equipment on board. Minor fender-benders are prevented from happening due to a parking distance warning system.
Popular With The Family
A fuel saving system that neither I nor my wife really like, start-and-go is also standard on the Telluride.
We do both appreciate luxury however, and the Telluride has a lot of great features to make one feel like royalty. Even the kids loved it due to the tri-zone heating and air conditioning, since they were able to remain comfortable in the back seat when riding. Another feature they appreciated is the location of the USB ports on the side of the seats. Side window curtains on the rear seats are also wonderful for avoiding direct brightness from the sun beaming in its rays.
The Telluride is pretty fuel efficient for it large size according to the EPA, with figures for a base model at 20 mpg city, 26 on the highway and an estimated average of 23 mpg. My all-wheel-drive premium model didn’t do quite as well, but remains respectable at 19/24/21 mpg.
As stated earlier, the Telluride is not easy to find, and there are dealers out there who will try to add a surcharge to the vehicle because it is in such demand. Shop wisely and you could be very pleased with this new large SUV should you be able to locate one.
