How We'd Spec It: 2023 Kia Telluride

• Kia updates the Edmunds Top Rated SUV for the 2023 model year.
• New Telluride X-Line and X-Pro models debut with rugged styling.
• All 2023 Telluride models receive significant tech upgrades.

Plus, the Telluride EX comes with a standard second-row bench seat or available captain’s chairs, giving you more choice depending on how many people you need to carry. You can also outfit the EX with the X-Line trim, which gives the SUV a trendy blacked-out appearance. Additional options include a self-leveling rear suspension package, which is helpful if you plan to use the Telluride’s 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity.

The money-saving alternative

One of the reasons Edmunds loves the Telluride is for its value, and the base LX trim offers plenty of it. The base price is in the mid-$30,000s, but the Kia Telluride LX is anything but basic. The standard SynTex artificial leather does a good job of emulating the real thing, and this year the base Telluride adds a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and connected services including access to the new Wi-Fi hotspot.

Kia also enhances the 2023 Telluride’s standard driver assist and collision avoidance package of safety features. This SUV now includes Highway Driving Assist, which pairs adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability with lane centering assistance to provide a semi-autonomous highway driving assist system. You need to keep your hands on the steering wheel, but otherwise this feature works remarkably well.

Another highlight is the Telluride’s standard Junction Turning detection system. It can tell if you’re going to make an unsafe left turn across traffic and automatically brake the SUV to prevent the action. In addition, the rear seat reminder system uses ultrasonic sensors that can detect movement in the SUV for up to 24 hours after you’ve locked and left the Telluride. If you’ve forgotten that it was your turn to drop off at day care, and your child wakes from a nap, the Telluride will sense movement, honk the horn and flash the lights, and send you an alert via the Kia Connect smartphone app.

The one to pick for all of the extras

In its top trim, the 2023 Kia Telluride is a luxury SUV in all but its brand name (and a handful of uninspiring interior plastics). From its supple leather upholstery and simulated suede headliner to its Mercedes-style digital instrumentation and infotainment systems housed under a single curved pane of glass, the Kia Telluride SX Prestige conveys a distinctly upscale look and feel.

Add the new X-Pro package to the SX Prestige, and the SUV adds off-roading capability with standard all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires, added ground clearance, and improved angles of approach and departure. Raised roof rails make it easier to tie things down to the roof, and improved powertrain cooling allows Kia to increase the towing capacity to 5,500 pounds. This version of the Telluride also comes with a standard self-leveling rear suspension.

In addition, the SX Prestige includes all of the extras that make the Telluride such a bargain relative to other top-spec rivals. Highlights include a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs, a dual-panel sunroof, and a Harman Kardon premium sound system. This version of the SUV also has a head-up display, digital rearview mirror, a surround-view camera, and a camera-based Blind-Spot View Monitor system. You also get digital key technology that allows you to unlock, start and drive the Telluride using your smartphone.

Edmunds says

If you’re shopping for a midsize SUV that offers three rows of seats, the 2023 Kia Telluride demands your consideration. This SUV offers an appealing design, a comfortable cabin with a third row that is actually habitable by adults, plenty of cargo space, and an impressive load of standard and available tech. In its top SX Prestige trim, it can even give luxury SUV shoppers a money-saving alternative.

And now, for 2023, the Telluride is better than ever. You might even be tempted to tackle even more challenging trails thanks to the new X-Pro package.