2024 Kia Telluride

Pros: Bigger-than-average third row and cargo space; user-friendly tech; extra-smart cruise control; handsome design; excellent value Cons: X-Pro ride quality; no hybrid powertrain available Turns out your three-row family hauler doesn’t have to be a drab appliance. The 2024 Kia Telluride has the sort of square-jawed, classically rugged style that made SUVs popular in the first place, yet provides the abundant, family-friendly practicality that saw crossovers slowly take over the segment. It also offers near luxury levels of equipment and interior ambience with a lower price tag and, again, greater practicality than various actual luxury models. In short, the 2024 Kia Telluride is one of our top choices in the three-row family SUV segment along with the Honda Pilot and Hyundai Palisade (the Telluride’s mechanically related twin). The Honda has a slight advantage in terms of interior versatility and driving precision (its off-road-oriented TrailSport is also more capable and comfortable than the Telluride’s X-Pro), while Kia and Hyundai offer superior infotainment and safety technology. Between the two twins, it’s mostly a coin flip based on style preference and perhaps the deal you get at a dealer. Of course, there are plenty of other options available, but in the interest of keeping things simple, we’d recommend starting with this trio first – and certainly wouldn’t be surprised if you found the Telluride to be the best choice. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2024? People were clearly not entirely on board with the Telluride’s mid-cycle styling refresh last year (above right) because Kia has partially walked back one of the changes. The original design’s distinctive square amber halo running lights (above left) are still gone, but the new design’s twin vertical light lines have been changed from white to amber (see the gallery at the top of this page). We still think the new design is worse than the more timeless original and wonder why Kia still sees the need to change things just for the sake of change when its designs are so excellent these days (this isn’t 2008 anymore and it isn’t selling anonymous Optimas). Last year’s new X-Line and X-Pro also get gloss black exterior trim in place of the dark metallic trim designers used to be a bit different from the norm. Apparently, people like the norm. What are the Telluride interior and in-car technology like? Admittedly, we've only had contact with the highest Telluride models that boast soft leather, high-quality trim materials, and a generally luxurious ambience that trumps nearly everything else in the segment (the new Mazda CX-90 is definity ritzier and it's a coin flip between the Telluride and mechanically related Hyundai Palisade). The Telluride also tends to cost less than range-topping rivals that actually have less equipment. Now, will an LX and EX be as swank? No, but the general quality of plastics, switchgear and other materials should …
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