Car Reviews
Kia Telluride X-Pro AWD – TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS
Kia Telluride X-Pro AWD
TAKE ME HOME, COUNTRY ROADS
Most of my friends are old, and as you’d guess, among those old friends are a few of my oldest friends. Some date back to grade school (the lower grades!), a few are from high school, and Ron Hector is from Taylor’s Bookstore in Dallas. I was buying a motorcycle mag, Ron was the cashier and we had motorcycles – and their magazines – in common. That was around 1978, and while knowing you can do the math, we’re coming up on our 50th anniversary…and hope-to-hell we make it.
At this point you’ll wonder what our friendship has to do with Kia’s 3-row Telluride. Well, Ron recently remarried, and his new wife Judy brought into their union a late-model Ford Expedition. I’ve met Judy, but I’m kinda’ wondering how it is that an until-recently single gal wants to pilot an Expedition on a day-in, day-out basis, with little to haul and nothing to tow. And with Ron – and Ron’s ‘stuff’ – added to the household, garage space is at a premium, while the Expedition occupies a premium amount of that already limited space. It’s why I’ll mention Kia’s Telluride.
While smaller than Ford’s Expedition, the 3-row Telluride isn’t a Prius. With an overall length of 197 inches sitting on a wheelbase of 114 inches, the Telluride looks right on the drive, and to its ever-lasting credit, drives right on the road. You wouldn’t call Kia’s Telluride ‘flickable’, but it’s easy to point with well-connected steering, and easy to park with its (relatively) tidy proportion. And unlike a lot of 3-row crossovers claiming the near-luxury mantle, its price point – $56K as tested – is accessible.
On that driveway the Telluride is proportional, and since its launch for the 2020 model year it’s become almost ubiquitous on our nation’s highways and byways (and driveways…). I love – an admittedly subjective love – the way the unibody sits back on that wheelbase, with little of the front overhang that is typical with front-wheel drive/all-wheel drive platforms. The visual take is Range Rover-ish, without the over-the-top imitation offered by Hyundai’s Santa Fe. And when speaking of Hyundai, Kia’s corporate cousin, I personally prefer the more reserved sheetmetal of the Telluride to the more expressive curves of Hyundai’s Palisade; it would seem America buyers do, also.
Inside, our SX-Prestige X-Pro was trimmed in Nappa leather in the available Terracotta, which was well executed – and included the visual pop you’d want from Terracotta. Room and support were good in both the front buckets and middle row Captain’s chairs – and that middle row includes both heating and cooling. The third row is accessible, but better for pre-teens than older guys with stiff backs. Once there it’ll seat three youngsters for longer rides, perhaps two oldsters for lunch.
As you’d hope with a midsized 3-row, there’s space for cargo behind that third row (21 cubic feet), but its hauling capability grows far more expansive with the 3rd row folded. And the second row will flip down from the rear hatch with just a touch of a button! The touch of another button will open both the sunroof over the front seat and the much larger sunroof over the rear.
Behind the wheel the driver enjoys a nicely proportioned steering wheel, dual 12.3-inch panoramic display, which – thankfully – puts audio and HVAC controls beneath it. Personally, I’d prefer some visual separation between the instrumentation and infotainment, but I won’t argue with the functionality.
Behind the accelerator is 3.8 liters of normally aspirated V6 (sourced from South Korea) driving through a 6-speed automatic transmission from these United States; notably, the Kia is assembled at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia. Those 6-speeds are connected to the tarmac – or gravel – via an active all-wheel drive system, while the driver can select from five drive modes: Smart, Sport, Comfort, Eco and Snow. There’s a lot to be said regarding the simplicity of a normally aspirated drivetrain – the lack of turbos or superchargers would suggest additional longevity and simpler preventive maintenance – but then, neither do you get the torque output of a turbo motor at varying speeds. Acceleration is fine when merging, but you’ll note the occasional delay in waiting for that auto trans to kick down. But then, my wife Tina actually liked the delay…she rested.
If I was spec’ing the Telluride I’d probably opt for our test vehicle’s X-Pro trim, which supplies all-terrain rubber in an 18-inch diameter, a little more ground clearance and slightly better approach angles. Like most crossovers with the suggestion of off-road capability, this is more all-road than off-road, but I like the duality, and you don’t give up much in either road comfort or road noise. But I would opt for the more accessible EX X-Pro trim at around $50K than our Prestige X-Pro trim at over $56K; as I get closer to $60,000 my mind and billfold get closer to Genesis.
For Ron and Judy, with a home south of Fort Worth and a farm in Oklahoma, on-the-road comfort, enough room for both them and a dog, and some semblance of efficiency (Car and Driver achieved 26 miles per gallon on their 75-mile loop) are mandatory, while allowing space for a second car in the garage would be the bonus. Of course, Judy’s Expedition will probably last forever. And if he doesn’t run his dirt bike into a tree, Ron just might, also.
