20,000-Mile Update

If you want an objective measure of a long-term vehicle's popularity with our staff, all you have to do is read the odometer and look at a calendar. In about 10 months of service, our 2020 Kia Telluride SX AWD has racked up 23,953 miles. Averaging more than 500 miles per week puts it firmly in the cool-kid crowd.

We should point out that large SUVs and trucks in our long-term fleet typically accumulate miles more quickly than smaller vehicles. Editors tend to snag the keys to these more-spacious vehicles for road trips when family and Fido (and maybe a boat or a couple snowmobiles) are in tow. The gargantuan Kia has a built-in advantage here, but even among similarly huge vehicles, it's an office favorite.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

With our commutes, our errands, and our vacations waylaid by coronavirus, we—like most Americans—are doing less driving these days. But the Kia has been in demand among editors venturing beyond their local grocery store. Technical editor David Beard towed a side-by-side UTV more than 400 miles round trip to northern Michigan and back. "The Telly pulled the 3000-pound package with no drama," he summarized.

There is room for improvement, though. The factory towing hookup only includes a four-pin electrical connection, so Beard and photo assistant Charley Ladd installed a seven-pin trailer connector and plugged in a Bluetooth trailer-brake controller prior to the trip. The Telluride also lacks a dedicated Trailer Tow mode, and the transmission struggled to hold a gear when cruising at 80 mph. Beard resorted to using the manual shifting mode. He kept the eight-speed automatic locked in seventh gear when cruising and selected sixth or fifth for climbs and descents. His speed and load dropped the 3.8-liter V-6's fuel economy to 13 mpg—not bad but not great, either—compared to our 20-mpg running average.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

Beard's girlfriend enjoyed the Telluride's comforts from the second row during the drive, working on her laptop while plugged into the 120-volt outlet. "Nice workspace," she said, but Beard points out that a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot is one of the few items missing from the Telluride SX's long list of features.

Senior editor Joey Capparella folded the Telluride's second and third rows for a trip to neighboring Ohio to retrieve furniture for his new apartment. "I'll be hard-pressed to decorate it as nicely as the Telluride's cabin," Capparella wrote in the logbook. "This vehicle is so comfortable and desirable."

We've long counted on the Korean brands to deliver value-packed cars and crossovers, but the gotta-have-it factor that Capparella alludes to is what makes the Telluride different than every Kia before it. More than halfway through its 40,000-mile test, the Telluride's exterior styling and interior finish can still surprise and impress us the way it did the first time we drove it. "More than any other car company, Kia has figured out that giving customers more car than they expected is an all-conquering formula. The Telluride is proof," said deputy editor Rich Ceppos.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

The Telluride continues to impress us with its reliability as well. It remains faultless from a durability standpoint. Since the last update, we've made trips to the dealer at 15,000 and 22,500 miles for oil changes, tire rotations, and new air filters at costs of $120 and $156, respectively. We made an extra stop at the dealer between those service appointments for an infotainment-system update, covered under warranty, that addresses a voice-recognition issue that we didn't experience.

A cracked windshield is the only major bummer we've experienced so far. The upside is that we now have the knowledge to warn owners and potential buyers that a Telluride windshield is really expensive. The replacement and installation cost $1480 at a local glass shop, plus another $138 paid to the dealer to recalibrate the driver-assistance camera that's mounted behind the rearview mirror. It's the only time this Kia hasn't felt like an absolute bargain. We've already forgotten about it.

Months in Fleet: 10 months Current Mileage: 23,953 miles

Average Fuel Economy: 20 mpg

Fuel Tank Size: 18.8 gal Observed Fuel Range: 370 miles

Service: $437 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Damage and Destruction: $1618

View Specs

10,000-Mile Update

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

There comes a time in life when you have to acknowledge your shortcomings. And as our 2020 Kia Telluride SX AWD passes the 14,000-mile mark, that time for us is now.

Try as we might, we are unable to find much to criticize about our moss-green Kia long-termer. Maybe that’s not considered a shortcoming in the real world. Other people we’ve met appear perfectly happy to be happy. We are critics, though. It is our job—nay, our nature—to criticize.

Usually, new cars provide plenty of opportunity for complaints. The outward visibility stinks. The engine is weak and sounds like a horse fart. The seat heaters are too slow to warm our buns. When we have nothing big to criticize, we can typically find something minor. If we can’t find something minor, we can usually find something trivial. With the Telluride, though, we are flummoxed.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

So, credit to testing director Dave VanderWerp for gamely having a go at criticizing this 10Best-winning, comparison-test-dominating three-row, family SUV. Everyone else on staff has simply thrown up their hands. And reviews deputy editor Tony Quiroga has sustained a love affair with the Telluride that borders on giddy infatuation.

It’s not for lack of miles, which we’re piling on at a furious rate. The Telluride is in high demand as everything from a lunch-time shuttle to family-road-trip companion. With about 11,000 miles on the clock, VanderWerp loaded the Telluride with his wife and children for a 1300-mile weekend trip to the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Here’s what he came up with for complaints:

The rear wiper wash needs a wider spray pattern to help clean the rear glass. Instead, it just shoots a rivulet of fluid down the middle of the backlight. When you push the rear-climate button, you then have to go to the touchscreen to adjust it. Honda allows the front climate control knobs to control the rear settings in this scenario. The tailpipes are pushed to one side of the rear, something that with other brands of vehicles indicates that you’ve settled for the base engine. (There is currently only one engine offered in the Telluride).

Not exactly damning stuff there. VanderWerp reverted to praise even while trying to criticize. The average fuel economy on his trip was better than the EPA highway label (25 mpg vs 24 mpg), despite keeping an 80-mph cruising speed. It’s comfortable, quiet, and regally handsome. There’s excellent passenger and cargo space. There are plenty of storage cubbies in the front-seat area. The front seats are supportive enough to remain comfortable after many hours in the saddle. You get the point.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

Nothing has gone wrong with the vehicle, either. So that’s a whole area of potential sniping neutralized. Our only visit to the dealership during this quarter was to get a 7500-mile service. At $161, that service included the typical oil change, tire rotation, cabin-air filter replacement, and routine inspections.

In mid-November with about 10,000 miles on the odometer, we swapped out the original-equipment all-season tires for a set of Continental VikingContact 7 winter tires (yes, they are actually called “VikingContact”). It’s been an unusually mild and dry winter so far, so we haven’t yet had a chance to test the effectiveness of the winter rubber on snow and ice. But—wouldn’t you know it—the winter tires are, in the words of VanderWerp, “admirably quiet for winter tires and don’t feel too squishy on dry roads.”

We have failed. The Telluride has not.

Months in Fleet: 5 months Current Mileage: 14,013 miles

Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg

Fuel Tank Size: 18.8 gal Observed Fuel Range: 390 miles

Service: $161 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Damage and Destruction: $0

Introduction

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

It was obvious on first glance that the 2020 Kia Telluride was going to be a contender in the hotly contested class of mid-size three-row SUVs. Just sitting on an auto-show stand, the big Kia had presence. The smooth, disciplined lines. The sophisticated detailing. The Chevy- and Volkswagen-shaming interior. The Telluride is an exemplar of the old saw that it is no more expensive to build an attractive vehicle than it is to build an unattractive one.

Our good will toward Kia's latest three-row ute was blunted not a bit when we drove and tested it. And we're not alone. We've heard fear-tinged acknowledgement of the Telluride's excellence from people who work for rival carmakers. The only things we haven't yet confirmed about the Telluride are its reliability and its ability to sustain our affections over the long haul. So, naturally, we ordered one from Kia to run the gauntlet of our 40,000-mile, long-term test.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

We specified a top-of-the-line SX model for our evaluation in part because it comes with effective LED headlamps and taillights, handsome 20-inch wheels, understated satin-chrome body trim, and a variety of interior niceties such as a memory seats, second-row privacy window shades, and heated and ventilated seats. All-wheel drive, which adds $2000 to the cost of any Telluride, was a no-brainer. We also added a $795 Towing package for its hitch and self-leveling rear suspension (all Tellurides are rated to tug up to 5000 pounds).



We topped off the whole thing with the $2000 SX Prestige package, which brings a head-up display, nappa leather upholstery, premium cloth headliner, heated and ventilated second-row seats, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. All of this pushed the SX model, which starts at $44,585, up to a not-unreasonable $47,590. In fact, considering the Telluride's level of features and amenities, that counts as something of a bargain in this class. The Dark Moss green paint choice cost us nothing but makes our Telluride one refined-looking family transporter.

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The Telluride—and its mechanical twin, the Hyundai Palisade—is powered by a standard 291-hp 3.8-liter V-6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. There is no upgrade engine available. The Kia's V-6 provides less torque than the turbocharged four-cylinders found in competitors such as the Mazda CX-9 and the Ford Explorer. But in real-world driving, the Telluride is just as fuel efficient as its four-banger rivals, and it is happy to sip regular fuel. Our long-termer has so far averaged 21 mpg in mixed driving.

At the test track, our Telluride laid down a 7.0-second zero-to-60-mph run and continued on through the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 93 mph. Those are competitive times for the class, and the Telluride's 0.82-g skidpad performance and 177-foot stop from 70 mph are both within the norms as well.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

The Telluride might not slay its competitive set at the track, but its on-road, day-to-day comportment has made it a staff favorite. It's certainly quicker, nicer, and more fuel efficient than the Volkswagen Atlas we also have in our long-term fleet. In fact, print director Tony Quiroga notes that if he had a Porsche Boxster Spyder and a Telluride in his garage, he "wouldn't want for anything more." The writer of this story couldn't agree more. Deputy editor Josh Jacquot sang the praises of the Telluride's impressive ride quality over potholed gravel roads. "I'm impressed with the Telluride's damping," he noted. "It has fantastic individual wheel control, especially for this class and with 20-inch wheels."

Senior editor Joey Capparella wrote, "Honestly, this interior pleases me more than the Range Rover I drove last night." The tasteful, rich-looking cabin also got to chief brand officer Eddie Alterman, who said he keeps debating the highs and lows of the Telluride interior compared with that of the Mercedes GLS-class and then remembering how much more the Mercedes costs.

View Photos Marc Urbano Car and Driver

It's likely we'll find things about this Kia we do not like. And maybe the Telluride will break often and in infuriating ways over the course of the next 37,000 or so miles. But so far, the Telluride is looking pretty damn good.

Months in Fleet: 1 month Current Mileage: 2842 miles

Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg

Fuel Tank Size: 18.8 gal Observed Fuel Range: 390 miles

Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

Damage and Destruction: $0

Specifications Specifications 2020 Kia Telluride SX AWD VEHICLE TYPE

front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback PRICE AS TESTED

$47,590 (base price: $44,585) ENGINE TYPE

DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement

231 in3, 3778 cm3

Power

291 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque

262 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm TRANSMISSION

8-speed automatic CHASSIS

Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink

Brakes (F/R): 13.4-in vented disc/12.0-in disc

Tires: Michelin Primacy Tour A/S, 245/50R-20 102V M+S DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 114.2 in

Length: 196.9 in

Width: 78.3 in

Height: 69.3 in

Passenger volume: 155 ft3

Cargo volume: 21 ft3

Curb weight: 4507 lb C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW

60 mph: 7.0 sec

100 mph: 17.7 sec

130 mph: 39.0 sec

Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.5 sec

Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.7 sec

Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec

1/4 mile: 15.3 sec @ 93 mph

Top speed (governor limited): 132 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 177 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 20 mpg

Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 21/19/24 mpg WARRANTY

5 years/60,000 miles bumper to bumper;

10 years/100,000 miles powertrain;

5 years/100,000 miles miles corrosion protection;

5 years/60,000 miles miles roadside assistance Expand Collapse

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