Since its debut in 2019, the Kia Telluride has been an undeniable success as it dominated the midsize three-row SUV class. With the next-generation model on the horizon, Kia makes a big gamble on styling and design.
2027 Kia Telluride Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2027 Kia Telluride
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2027 Kia Telluride
After six years of production, the first-generation Kia Telluride remains one of the best SUVs for growing families. The 2027 Telluride marks the beginning of a new generation, and we got a sneak peek at what to expect, at least in terms of appearance. The Korean automaker previewed the off-road-focused X-Pro model, while the more city-bound trim levels will be shown at the 2026 Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.
Design
Right up front, we'd like to state that it's difficult to photograph the 2027 Telluride in a way that conveys how it looks in person. When we walked around it at the Kia America Design Center in Irvine, California, the overall heaviness seemed significantly slimmed down, though it has grown 2.3 inches in length compared to its predecessor.
The grille you see here is exclusive to the X-Pro model, and is more aggressively styled for a rugged personality befitting an all-terrain vehicle. We snuck a glance at the standard grille and can report it's integrated into the Telluride's front fascia with more grace and modernity. Kia's "double-tab" motif that helped to guide design language since the mid-2000s is more subtle than before, but still present as indentations into the center of the grille. The X-Pro's bumper is also blockier and chunkier than the other Tellurides, which have smoother shapes and rounded corners for a sleeker appearance.
Both grilles are notable for their apparent lack of traditional headlights, something that can be as initially jarring as seeing a face without eyes. After only a few minutes, however, our critical sensibilities grew accustomed to it. Instead, the amber accent lights play the role of the anthropomorphic eyes, lending the Telluride an edgier, Cyberpunk feel. The actual headlights are just inboard of the accent lights, in a double-stacked block of LEDs.
From the side, the new Telluride breaks even more design ground. The flared fenders have unique angular beveled cuts, giving the bodywork a very distinctive nose-to-tail character line that appears to dip at the peak of each wheel. The wheel arches feature a possible reprise of the tab motif that visually anchors that dip in the character line. Flush-mounted, power-deploying door handles add to the profile's sleekness.
The X-Pro's wheel arch cladding is more prominent than what we'll see on other Tellurides, with added black plastic sections instead of body-colored elements. The X-Pro also rides about 1.5 inches taller than the more conventional models. Further back, the "floating roof" look used by many other carmakers is one of the few derivative aspects of the new design, but we're told that the other models will use body-colored pieces that will blend in better.
Some may argue the taillights are also derivative of the Range Rover, but according to Kia, that design was set in stone well before Land Rover unveiled their simpler, but similar version. The X-Pro's red recovery hooks and the surrounding bumper will likely also be different in other trims.
Powertrain
Kia hasn't yet revealed what the new Telluride has under the hood, but it's a good bet that it will be the same as the related Hyundai Palisade's. The all-new 2026 Palisade sports a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 287 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to either the front or all four wheels.
That power is adequate for a three-row SUV, but far from impressive, as the Palisade requires almost nine seconds to accelerate to 60 mph. Fortunately, there's a more potent hybrid option that increases power output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. If we're lucky, the Kia Telluride will follow suit and offer both powertrains.
Again using the Hyundai Palisade as a template, we expect fuel economy figures to be similar. The front-wheel-drive (FWD) Palisade Hybrid's is estimated as high as 34 mpg in combined city and highway miles, while the all-wheel-drive (AWD) model's is a still-impressive 29 mpg combined. The non-hybrid Palisades are estimated at 21 mpg combined for FWD and 20 mpg with AWD. The XRT Pro model is equivalent to the Telluride X-Pro and is rated at 19 mpg combined.
Interior
It seems likely that the Telluride's exterior styling may divide opinions, but the interior design is sure to win over more shoppers. The cabin doesn't break new ground but maintains a modern trajectory. Much like the first-generation Telluride, a wide display sits atop the dashboard, housing the instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen flanking a center section for climate controls. This time around, it looks more like an off-the-shelf display than its predecessor's trapezoidal screen.
More importantly, the Telluride continues to provide ample passenger space in all three rows. The second-row captain's chairs look a lot like the front seats and offer plenty of room to stretch out. A tray and storage bin that slide from the back of the center console are also for those passengers. The third row is also suitable for adults, though the seat cushion is lower to the floor, and taller passengers will be missing some thigh support.
The materials surrounding you are similar in quality to those found in the last Telluride, which is a good thing. It's nicer than what you'd expect from a non-luxury-branded vehicle, and could even be mistaken for something in the entry-level luxury class. The carbon-flake interior trim may not be to everyone's liking, but the cross-cut laminated wood alternatives should win over more shoppers.
Technology
As of this writing, we don't have much information on the Telluride's tech features, but we should have a more complete picture around the L.A. Auto Show. As far as what we've seen in the X-Pro model we checked out, it looks to have dual wireless charging pads, which is a likely indicator of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Kia has indicated that it will be implementing the latest Apple CarPlay Ultra, but it's unknown if the Telluride will have that version initially.
Safety
We also don't have official information on what safety features will be standard or optional with the 2027 Telluride, but we'd be shocked if it didn't include all of the typical items offered in any current Kia vehicle. Since it's designed as a family-friendly three-row SUV, we're confident the engineers prioritized both collision-avoidance and crashworthiness, to help the next generation achieve the current model's coveted Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Pricing and Release Date
Pricing won't be announced until at least the L.A. Auto Show in November, or perhaps even closer to the early-2026 on-sale date. Considering how competitive this vehicle class is, we don't expect a significant price increase from the current model. That means we expect prices to start around $40,000 and crest closer to $55,000 for the top X-Pro trim.
