2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid SX-Prestige Review

This week I am behind the wheel of the all-new 2027 Kia Telluride HEV X-Line SX-Prestige AWD, the top trim of Kia's first hybrid Telluride. The second-generation three-row SUV is longer, roomier and more squared-off than before, and the new turbocharged hybrid is the powertrain that best fits its upscale mission. It delivers more power and torque than the former V6 while improving combined fuel economy into the low 30s. My test vehicle adds the X-Line's blacked-out appearance, 21-inch wheels and self-leveling rear suspension to a cabin loaded with luxury and technology.

Exterior

The redesign keeps the Telluride recognizable but gives it a taller, cleaner and more substantial look. A broad hood, large rectangular grille and vertical LED lighting make the front end appear almost architectural. The body sides are slab-sided without looking plain, helped by flush power-extending door handles, a strong shoulder line and gloss-black lower trim. The X-Line treatment replaces brightwork with black exterior emblems, adds high-utility roof rails and fills the wheel openings with chunky 21-inch gloss-black alloys.

Black Jade Green is a terrific color for this design. In shade it looks nearly black, but sunlight brings out a deep forest-green finish that works especially well with the black roof rails, wheels, mirror caps and rear trim. The upright rear has slim vertical lamps, widely spaced TELLURIDE lettering and a neatly integrated spoiler. The result is rugged enough to justify the X-Line badge without pretending this is the more off-road-focused X-Pro.

Performance

The hybrid system combines a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, two electric motors and a 1.65-kWh lithium-ion battery. Total output is 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, increases of 38 horsepower and 77 pound-feet over the previous Telluride's naturally aspirated V6. Power goes through a conventional six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel paddle shifters to an all-wheel-drive system that can vary torque distribution as conditions change,

Drive modes include Eco, Sport and MyDrive, while the AWD Terrain system adds Snow, Mud and Sand settings. Kia's Electrification Vehicle Motion Control uses motor and brake control to reduce pitching over bumps and improve stability in corners. This X-Line also has a self-leveling rear suspension, and the factory towing package adds the integrated hitch. Maximum towing capacity is 4,500 pounds.

Interior

The cabin is modern, exceptionally wide and easy to understand. Twin 12.3-inch screens sit beneath one panoramic piece of glass, placing the configurable digital gauge cluster directly ahead of the driver and navigation, audio, phone and vehicle settings in the center touchscreen. Kia wisely retains physical shortcut keys and a dedicated climate-control panel. The electronic shifter moves to the steering column, leaving the bridge-style center console open for dual wireless charging pads, cupholders and useful covered storage.

The SX-Prestige cabin includes a 12-inch head-up display, a camera-based digital rearview mirror, Kia Connect, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, navigation and a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system. USB-C fast-charging ports are distributed through all three rows. Materials include perforated SynTex and SynTex suede upholstery, a suede-like headliner and engineered-wood accents. The heated steering wheel is power-adjustable for tilt and reach and tied to the memory system.

The heated and ventilated front seats are supportive, and the driver gets the adjustable Ergo Motion seat. Heated and ventilated second-row captain's chairs make this a seven-passenger vehicle, and their generous fore-and-aft travel creates excellent legroom or easier access to the third row. The third row is genuinely usable, though adults still sit closer to the floor than they do in the first two rows. Separate rear climate controls and the dual sunroofs keep the back of the cabin from feeling like steerage.

Cargo capacity is 21.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 47.7 cubic feet behind the second row and 88.3 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The third-row seatbacks fold individually, the load floor is flat when the seats are down, and storage beneath the cargo floor adds flexibility. A compact spare tire is included.

Standard Features

Standard features include dual 12.3-inch panoramic displays with navigation, a 12-inch head-up display, Kia Connect with a three-year Ultimate subscription where available, SiriusXM with a three-month subscription, a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system, Smart Key, dual wireless phone chargers, a digital rearview mirror with HomeLink, multiple USB-C charging ports, SynTex and SynTex suede seating, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, an Ergo Motion driver’s seat, heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs, a power tilt-and-telescoping heated steering wheel with memory, engineered-wood interior accents, dual-zone front climate control, separate rear climate controls, dual sunroofs, a Smart Power Liftgate, power-folding heated outside mirrors with turn signals, rear privacy glass, a rear spoiler, X-Line exterior and interior styling, high-utility roof rails, black exterior emblems, LED projector fog lights and 21-inch gloss-black alloy wheels.

Options

Options include Black Jade Green paint for $495, the Towing Package with an integrated tow hitch for $625, all-season floor liners for $295, carpeted floor mats for $250, a cargo net for $65, a cargo cover for $200 and a carpeted cargo mat with seatback protection for $115.

Safety Features

Safety features include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist 2, Safe Exit Assist, Highway Driving Assist 2, Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control-Curve, Remote Smart Parking Assist, front, rear and side Parking Distance Warning, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse, a Surround View Monitor, a Blind-Spot View Monitor, dual front advanced airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front and rear side airbags, a front-center airbag and full-length side-curtain airbags.

What's Cool About the Telluride

There are several features here that sound like gimmicks until you use them. Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 lets you stand outside and use buttons on the Smart Key to move the Telluride straight forward or backward. It is perfect when somebody parks too close for you to open a door, or when the garage suddenly seems two inches narrower than it did yesterday. Another neat touch showed up after I used remote start: once I climbed in with the key, the Telluride recognized me and completed the startup handoff on its own, so I did not have to press the start button again.

It also pays attention without becoming unbearable. Leading Vehicle Departure Alert gives you a chime when the vehicle ahead pulls away and, if you are still adjusting the radio or admiring the scenery, follows with a second message in the gauge cluster. The head-up display goes well beyond speed and navigation: it can show Blind-Spot Safety information and surrounding vehicles in your line of sight. The separate Blind-Spot View Monitor still places a live camera image in the instrument cluster when you signal, making lane changes far less mysterious.

The cleverness continues throughout the cabin. Digital Key 2 can turn a compatible phone or smartwatch into a key and lets the owner share access electronically. The Full Display Mirror can switch from a conventional reflection to a camera view, handy when passengers or cargo block the rear window. The Ergo Motion driver's seat can vary lumbar support to reduce fatigue, while Relaxation Mode provides a more restful position when parked. The Smart Power Liftgate can open when you stand behind the Telluride with the key and can automatically close, lock the doors and arm the vehicle after loading. There is even selectable Ground Lighting that illuminates the area around the front, sides and rear. None of these touches alone is a reason to buy an SUV, but together they make the Telluride feel as though it was designed by people who actually use one.

Ride and Drive

The hybrid powertrain is the star of the 2027 Telluride. Electric torque gets this large SUV moving immediately, the turbo engine joins the party smoothly, and the six-speed automatic avoids the droning sensation some hybrids produce. Car and Driver recorded a strong 6.4-second run from zero to 60 mph in an all-wheel-drive Telluride Hybrid. That is plenty quick for merging or passing, and the power delivery remains progressive rather than jumpy.

Ride quality is quiet and compliant, even with the X-Line's 21-inch wheels. The suspension favors comfort, as a family SUV should, but body motions are controlled and the steering is accurate. You can feel the Telluride's size and roughly 5,000-pound curb weight, yet it never feels clumsy. Regenerative and friction braking blend well enough that normal stops do not call attention to the hybrid hardware.

Visibility is good for a vehicle this large, and the camera systems make parking much less intimidating. The blind-spot camera view appears in the instrument cluster when a turn signal is activated, while the surround-view display provides a clear overhead image. At highway speed, wind and road noise stay low and the engine settles into the background. This is not a sports SUV, but it is a very polished one.

Verdict

The 2027 Telluride Hybrid is the rare redesign that preserves what owners liked while making the vehicle meaningfully better. It is roomy, quiet, handsome and exceptionally well equipped, and the hybrid adds stronger performance without asking the owner to plug it in. The X-Line SX-Prestige is expensive territory for a Kia, but the equipment, materials and technology make the $61,180 total MSRP easier to understand than the badge might suggest.

EPA fuel economy is 30 mpg city, 32 highway and 31 combined. Those numbers are excellent for a three-row AWD SUV with this much room and power, although Car and Driver recorded 28 mpg in its 75-mph highway test. The hybrid gives up 500 pounds of towing capacity to the strongest gas-only Telluride, but for most families its added torque, quieter operation and fuel savings make it the powertrain to buy.