Pros: The Telluride's comfort-oriented driving manners, strong and efficient hybrid powertrain, and high-quality cabin do a compelling luxury imitation.

Cons: Changes to cargo area might make for less usable space, and this SUV could be more fun to drive.

The Takeaway: The new Telluride is an extremely well-rounded three-row midsize SUV, and the Telluride Hybrid is even better.

The all-new next-generation 2027 Kia Telluride builds upon the overall excellence of its predecessor while adding the option of an efficient hybrid powertrain and a degree of driving sophistication. It not only looks like a luxury SUV, but it drives a lot like one, too.

• What's new for the 2027 Kia Telluride
• About the 2027 Telluride review vehicle
• Design, quality, and interior layout
• Comfort, convenience, and cargo space
• 2027 Kia Telluride infotainment system review
• Safety features and ratings
• 2027 Kia Telluride specs and fuel economy
• 2027 Kia Telluride test drive
• Alternatives to the 2027 Kia Telluride

What's New for the 2027 Kia Telluride

QuickTake: The 2027 Telluride gets a new design, a more sophisticated driving experience, and an available hybrid model.

The redesigned Kia Telluride reimagines the original's rugged yet sophisticated exterior, with an interior that builds on the look, feature content, and infotainment technology of other, more recently redesigned Kias. There are slight increases in space and functionality, along with two new powertrains: a turbocharged gas-only four-cylinder and a turbocharged hybrid. This review also revealed that the Telluride's driving experience is more refined.

James Riswick

About the 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid SX Prestige Review Vehicle

QuickTake: The Telluride is available with a diverse selection of trim levels.

The 2027 Kia Telluride comes standard with a gas-only turbocharged four-cylinder engine; a turbocharged hybrid powertrain is optional. The standard engine is the only one available with LX, S, X-Line EX, and X-Pro SX Prestige trim levels. The remaining trims — EX, SX, X-Line SX, SX Prestige, and X-Line SX Prestige — offer a choice between the gas-only and hybrid engines.

For the gas-only trims, base prices range from about $41,000 to around $58,000, including the destination charge. The hybrids range from roughly $48,000 to above $59,000. The Telluride is built in West Point, Georgia.

For this Telluride review, I primarily test-drove the Hybrid SX Prestige in Santa Barbara County, California. Optional equipment highlights included the SX Prestige Executive Package and a tow hitch. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was $60,210, including the $1,545 destination charge. I also briefly drove a Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige. Kia provided the vehicles for this review and paid for lodging and meals during the evaluation period.

James Riswick

Design, Quality, and Interior Layout

QuickTake: The exterior styling varies by trim level, while the high-quality interior offers bold color options.

The 2027 Telluride's styling differs by trim level. The X-Line and X-Pro are similar, but the latter offers greater off-road capability. That includes extra ground clearance (9.1 inches versus 7.4 inches on all other trims), all-terrain tires, and recovery hooks. The X-Pro also gains an electronic limited-slip differential, a Ground View off-road camera, and exterior ground lighting that illuminates the SUV's perimeter.

The interior was genuinely luxurious in the two SX Prestige variants I tested, especially the distinctive Blackberry (purple) and Sand Beige (off-white) color combo of my hybrid test vehicle. Lesser Tellurides do without the fancy wood trim, but the overall materials and build quality appear consistent throughout the range.

The new cabin design is sleeker and less cluttered. Most obviously, the climate controls have been split between physical toggle controls and a standard touchscreen display panel nestled between the digital driver display and the infotainment touchscreen. The climate touchscreen may be hard to see because it's behind the steering wheel rim, but, in general, I prefer this setup to having all the controls integrated into the infotainment touchscreen.

James Riswick

Comfort, Convenience, and Cargo Space

QuickTake: Comfort and space are excellent for occupants, though cargo versatility takes a step backward.

My SX Prestige test vehicle was equipped with the optional Relaxation Mode front seats. They lift the front of the seat cushion to an absurd degree (if you're tall like me, they're incredible) and extend a leg rest for the passenger or, when parked, the driver (they did zilch for me, but they may be appreciated by shorter folks). I also briefly tried the SX Prestige's standard seats, and although they're not as adjustable, they were still quite comfortable, thanks in part to their power-adjustable thigh extensions. 

Second-row captain's chairs with loads of adjustability and a comfortably tall cushion height are found in all trims but the gas-only LX and EX, which have a three-across bench. The captain's chairs now tilt down when sliding (versus the backrest folding forward), thereby increasing the chances that a LATCH-reliant child seat will remain in place. Kia also redesigned the bench seat to allow for that capability.

I found it easier to get into the third row thanks to the now 2.3-inch-wider gap between the slid-forward second-row seat and the door pillar. A grab handle on the pillar helped me hoist myself inside. Once back there, there's 0.7 inch more legroom, but more importantly, I was able to fit comfortably as long as I slid the second row forward a bit. There's also plenty of headroom, standard USB-C ports, and large windows to prevent it from feeling like a dungeon.

Cargo space is up by a modest 2.7 cubic-feet behind the second row to 48.7 cu-ft, and up 1.3 cu-ft behind the third row to 22.3 cu-ft. Volume with both rear rows folded flat measures 89.3 cu-ft. Those figures are for the gas-only models, though. The hybrids subtract 1 cu-ft from both figures.

Behind the third row, there is once again extra storage space under the floor, but instead of having the previous generation's open floor that expanded its luggage-hauling capability, the area is now divided into compartments and occupied by the jack, plus the cargo cover if you're not using it. As a result, I strongly suspect the new Telluride won't be able to carry as much behind the third row.

James Riswick

2027 Kia Telluride Infotainment System Review

QuickTake: You don't need to get a top trim level to enjoy the top infotainment system.

Every Telluride has a digital instrumentation panel, but the one in the various SX trims is more configurable. The 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen shown above is standard, however, as are most infotainment-related features, including:

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
• Integrated navigation
• Wi-Fi hot spot
• Two wireless phone chargers
• Seven USB-C ports
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• Generative AI voice controls

The SX trims also add a 14-speaker Meridian premium sound system, while the Prestige trims gain Digital Key capability, which lets you use your smartphone as a key. A head-up display is also added to the Prestige trims.

The touchscreen isn't the biggest out there, but I think it's more important that the system's menus are well organized and that it's easy to find what you're looking for. The home buttons on the dashboard and within the touchscreen itself are especially helpful. There was no issue connecting to or operating Apple CarPlay.

Also, a shout-out to the standard dual wireless chargers that are grippy and bordered with little walls to keep your phone in place, and raised to reduce heat.

James Riswick

Safety Features and Ratings

QuickTake: The 2027 Telluride offers many well-executed driver-assistance features.

Kia equips the Telluride with Drive Wise, a generous collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as standard equipment. It includes:

• Forward-collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking
• Pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Lane-departure warning
• Lane-keeping assist
• Driver-inattention warning
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane-centering assist
• Safe Exit Assist
• Rear-occupant alert with radar sensors in the second and third rows

In addition to those features, my test car added:

• Forward-collision-avoidance steering assist
• Enhanced adaptive cruise control
• Surround-view camera system
• Blind-spot camera system

Not only is the Telluride's amount of driver-assistance tech ample, but the systems themselves are also well executed. The SX Prestige's enhanced adaptive cruise control and lane-centering-steering assist systems did almost all the driving for me on the highway, including signal-activated automated lane changes, as long as I kept a hand on the wheel and my eyes on the road. The extra camera views were also appreciated. There were no false alarms during my test drive, nor were there any excessive warnings.

James Riswick

2027 Kia Telluride Specs and Fuel Economy

QuickTake: The new Telluride Hybrid is abundantly powerful and efficient.

The Kia Telluride now comes standard with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive (FWD) are standard, but all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional. Kia estimates this engine will return 22 mpg in combined city and highway driving with FWD, while most AWD trim levels will return 20 mpg combined. The X-Pro SX Prestige is the exception at 19 mpg combined.

The new 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid also has a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder, but it's paired with two electric motors, a 1.65-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack, and a six-speed automatic transmission. It produces 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. With FWD, Kia estimates the system will return 35 mpg combined in the EX and 33 mpg combined in the SX. Hybrids with AWD are estimated to return 31 mpg combined. I got 30.7 mpg during my 125-mile test drive.

Those fuel-economy estimates are only slightly lower than the standard Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, which is considerably less powerful. The Grand Highlander's optional Hybrid Max powertrain exceeds the Telluride Hybrid's performance, but with much lower efficiency.

The 2027 Telluride Hybrid can tow up to 4,500 pounds. The gas-only model's maximum towing capacity is 5,000.

James Riswick

2027 Kia Telluride Test Drive

QuickTake: The new Telluride feels more sophisticated and comfort-oriented to drive.

I briefly drove a 2027 Telluride with the new base engine. Compared with the old V6, the turbo-four feels punchier when pulling away from stop lights, though it does have the same sort of gravelly engine sound common among big turbocharged four-cylinders.

The Telluride Hybrid can make the same sort of noises, but they're less prevalent, as the engine doesn't need to work as hard thanks to the electric motors. More importantly, those motors pair with the turbocharger to provide an extra-smooth, torque-rich power delivery. The six-speed automatic could be slow to kick down a gear, but I still prefer this powertrain to the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid's and the shiftless drone of its continuously variable transmission.

Beyond the powertrain, Kia relocated the power steering motor from the steering column to the rack. As I've discovered with other vehicles that have made this switch, the Telluride's steering feels less artificial and more precise. There's actually some road feedback filtered to your hands, which makes the new Telluride feel more sophisticated to drive.

So does the new Telluride's suspension tuning, which errs on the side of supple comfort. It doesn't feel uncontrolled, but the body pitches when turning and subtly rocks when going over bigger bumps. It almost feels like the Telluride has an air suspension — it doesn't — and it reminded me of driving a Range Rover. No complaints there.

Speaking of vehicles that can get dirty if needed, I drove an X-Pro off-road through trails and creeks, up and down dusty hills, and into gullies that probably would've crunched the bumpers of SUVs with less ground clearance. It seems like an appreciable upgrade in such scenarios, but I'm not sure how much of a ride-quality penalty there is on-road — the previous Telluride X-Pro and its all-terrain tires suffered from quite a bit of impact harshness.

James Riswick

Alternatives to the 2027 Kia Telluride

QuickTake: The Kia Telluride remains a must-drive three-row SUV.

The 2027 Kia Telluride successfully builds upon its predecessor in nearly every way. Given its overall excellence — and new hybrid powertrain — I consider it one of the best three-row family crossovers, alongside the mechanically related Hyundai Palisade and also up there with the Toyota Grand Highlander.

James Riswick

James Riswick has been testing and reviewing cars since 2007, serving as an editor at Edmunds and Autoblog, and contributing to Autotrader, Car and Driver, AutoGuide, Auto Express, and Capital One Auto Navigator. You name it, he's almost certainly driven it. He has attended an auto show every year since he was 2 and has wanted to be an automotive journalist since high school. He owns a babied 1998 BMW Z3 2.8 in James Bond blue, a silver 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon (his idea of a three-row family vehicle) and a 2025 Cadillac Optiq because his wife would rather drive something from this decade.