Kia Seltos vs Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold and somewhat polarizing design, with a grille that spanned the entire width of the front end, often dividing opinions. The vehicle's personality shifted significantly with different color and trim levels, with lighter colors making the body-colored vertical strakes appear jarring, while darker shades allowed them to blend more harmoniously. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile showcased unique faceted and angular fender sculpting, with black plastic tabs atop each wheel well, adding an odd novelty. The rear view adopted a different style, with rounded corners and vertical taillights, reminiscent of a Range Rover. Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout and a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, equipped with the optional SX Prestige Executive package, offered a luxurious two-tone palette, though the labeling on the silver buttons and cream-colored infotainment shortcut buttons was difficult to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, had somewhat flat and firm cushions, which could create discomfort on longer drives. Surrounding materials quality was excellent, with options for different trim surfaces, including engineered wood and carbon fiber.

The 2027 Kia Seltos, available in various trim levels, offered a stylish and technical design, drawing inspiration from the Kia EV9 and Telluride. The compact size of the Seltos, combined with its Terrain Brown paint, garnered attention and admiration. Inside, the EV9/Telluride theme continued with a panoramic display screen, intuitive controls, and quality materials. The transmission shifter felt solid and smooth, reflecting attention to detail. However, the Saturn Black interior of the X-Line SX model felt dark and dreary, lacking a high-contrast color option to elevate the cabin. Despite this, the Seltos provided a satisfying driving experience, with its small size, boxy dimensions, and impressive outward visibility making it easy to park and maneuver in urban environments.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The Hybrid version added electric motors, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed transmission. The Telluride Hybrid offered a smooth and quiet ride, with a seamless transition between electric and gas power. The X-Pro Prestige trim, with its lifted off-road suspension, provided a surprisingly comfortable ride, while the Hybrid SX Prestige had a stiffer ride with its 20-inch wheels. The Telluride was composed and controllable on winding roads, instilling confidence in drivers. The brake pedal effort was soft, requiring some adjustment, but brake response was immediate during panic stops.

The 2027 Kia Seltos, except for the X-Line SX, was equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a CVT, producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. The X-Line SX introduced a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 190 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Seltos offered a satisfying driving experience, with its small size and impressive outward visibility making it easy to park and maneuver in urban environments. The X-Line SX's EPA fuel economy rating was 26 mpg in combined city and highway driving, with an average of 26.5 mpg on a Southern California evaluation route. The powertrain could seem lazy in Normal mode, but switching to Sport mode improved responsiveness.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid offered ample space for adults in all three rows, though smaller passengers were better suited to the rearmost row. The second row featured power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation, providing comfort comparable to a business-class domestic airline seat. The middle-row seats had a lot of seat travel fore and aft, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom if needed. The Telluride could hold up to 22.3 cu-ft of cargo behind the third row, with a maximum capacity of 89.3 cu-ft with the seats folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride could tow up to 5,000 pounds (4,500 for the Hybrid).

The 2027 Kia Seltos offered impressive interior space, accommodating four large adults comfortably. The cargo area was practical, offering up to 27.8 cubic feet of space behind the back seat, with a maximum capacity of 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Seltos featured heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and power adjustments for the driver. The rear seat was spacious and comfortable, with rear air conditioning vents, dual USB charging ports, and a center armrest with cupholders. The Seltos also offered a smart hands-free power liftgate, revealing a dual-level load floor for added convenience.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a native navigation system, and dual wireless phone chargers. The system was easy to use, though it required a hard tap to register inputs. The Telluride offered a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system on the SX trim and above, delivering powerful bass and clear tones.

The 2027 Kia Seltos boasted a panoramic display with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, a 5-inch climate control panel, and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The infotainment system featured wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Kia Connect connected services. The Seltos included a complimentary three-year subscription to the Kia Connect Ultimate plan, offering numerous safety and convenience features. The Leading Vehicle Departure Alert was a notable feature, notifying the driver when the vehicle ahead started moving.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came equipped with standard advanced safety features, including frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and highway driving assist. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The driver attention monitor had operational issues at night, and the blind-spot cameras were more distracting than helpful.

The 2027 Kia Seltos offered a generous list of standard driver assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. The Prestige Package added a camera-based blind-spot monitor, a surround-view camera system, and rear automatic braking. The Highway Driving Assist technology demonstrated remarkable sophistication in lighter traffic, making it a pleasure to use.