Kia's new flagship SUV has finally set foot in the United Arab Emirates. The 2020 Telluride is the Korean carmaker's latest offering in the market, and is now officially on sale at a Kia showroom near you. Premiering at the 2019 North American International Auto Show, the Kia Telluride shares its underpinnings with its new Hyundai Palisade cousin. Coined after a town in Colorado, USA that's famous for its ski resorts, this seven-seat crossover SUV has gained much attention since its auto show debut.
Sketched at Kia's US design studio, the new Telluride's vastness is a definite eye-catcher. From nose to tail, it stretches a solid 5 metres in length, and its near 2-metre wide and 1.75-metre tall frame are all equally impressive in the flesh. The expansive bonnet wears a prominent “Telluride” badge, while the wide chrome-laden grille is flanked by bold, vertically-arranged LED headlights. The sculpted bumper houses up to four air-intake vents and some sleek LED fog lights as well.
The intimidating stance is further amplified by the Telluride's large 20-inch alloy wheels, muscular shoulder line, and pronounced wheel arches. The most distinctive design elements at the back include the inverted L-shaped LED taillights, a chrome model insignia, and a beefed up bumper with twin-exhausts and a skid plate.
The interior of the Telluride accentuates Kia's focus on contemporary and upmarket design, amalgamated with great build, sophisticated fit-and-finish, and suitably posh materials. The placement of all the switchgear and control surfaces are ergonomically and practically laid out, too. The 2.9-metre long wheelbase of the Telluride pays tangible dividends when it comes to the cabin room. In the meantime, the comfortable seats, large windows, and a dual split-sunroof also create an airy and hospitable environment for all seven occupants onboard.
Kia has also packed their flagship SUV with neat features such as adaptive headlights, multi-mode drive/terrain select system, electronic parking brake with auto hold function, ventilated and massaging front seats, multi-zone climate control, ambient lighting, wireless charging pad, a responsive 10.25-inch touch-infotainment head unit with built-in navigation, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus a fantastic 10-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system among others.
The Telluride is also brimming with some of the most latest in vehicle safety equipment - seven airbags, electronic stability programme, traction control system, active headrests, blind-spot monitoring, hill-start assist, lane-departure warning, head-up display, and a 360-degree parking assist system with surround-view cameras.
Power comes from a slightly reworked variant of Kia's long-running and dependable Lambda V6 engine. In the Telluride, this direct-injected 3.8-litre petrol unit makes 291 hp at 6,000 rpm and 355 Nm of peak torque at 5,200 rpm. Transmission duties are handled by an 8-speed torque-converter automatic, which then sends the engine's grunt to an adaptive all-wheel drive system. Depending on the terrain, position of the drive mode selector, and prevailing road surface conditions, the Telluride's AWD computers can split torque to individual wheels as and when required. Put all this together, and the Telluride can hustle to the 100 km/h mark in just over 8 seconds.
The Kia Telluride is fitted with modern independent suspension all around - MacPherson struts up front, and a multi-link setup at the rear. Even though Kia has dialled the suspension primarily keeping comfort and the occasional sandy excursions in mind, the Telluride doesn't exactly fall over in the bends. It holds onto the road plenty well, and despite some body roll, it never feels unnerving or ill-mannered. In the UAE, the base Kia Telluride costs AED 119,000, while the full bells-and-whistles SX trim comes in at AED 170,000.
