2027 Kia Telluride: What's It Like to Live With?

Can Kia's second-generation Telluride thoroughly impress us like its predecessor?

2027 Kia Telluride long term front three quarters

written by Jake Sundstrom
edited by Steven Ewing
9/9/2026
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What's new: The redesigned Kia Telluride joins our One-Year Road Test fleet.
Why it matters: The original Telluride raised the bar not just for Kia, but for all midsize SUVs.
Edmunds says: Can Kia recapture the original Telluride's magic in this new model? We'll find out over the course of one year and 20,000 miles.

The original Kia Telluride was a game changer. It instantly improved the South Korean automaker's standing in the minds of our editorial team, and we were far from alone — it's gone on to become one of Kia's most important vehicles. And now that Kia has fully redesigned the Telluride, we had to add one to our One-Year Road Test fleet. This is the second Telluride to be part of our garage, and we plan to put more than 20,000 miles on this three-row SUV over the course of a year.

So, what's changed? What hasn't? Has Kia managed to improve upon what was already one of our favorite SUVs? Buckle up, because we're about to find out if lightning can strike twice.

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What did we get?
Tested: Here's how the Telluride performed
How is the Telluride's real-world fuel economy?

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What did we get?

We got a 2027 Kia Telluride SX Prestige with all-wheel drive in Ivory Silver. This top-of-the-line trim comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine and all sorts of standard features, such as dual 12.3-inch screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated and cooled front seats, one-touch slide captain's chairs in the second row, and a full bevy of advanced driver aids.

Kia does offer the Telluride with a hybrid powertrain, but we wanted to put the gas engine through its paces. Plus, we already have a Hyundai Palisade Hybrid in the fleet — the corporate cousin to our Telluride — so it'll be neat to compare the two engine types over the course of a year.

The SX Prestige trim offers some off-road-ish features too, including standard all-wheel drive and a drive mode selector for different types of terrain. You also get creature comforts like heated and cooled second-row seats, a heated steering wheel and rain-sensing wipers. Our Telluride came equipped with a towing package that added a tow hitch.

All in, our Telluride costs $56,665 including a $1,545 destination charge. Kia loaned us the vehicle for the purposes of this evaluation.

Tested: Here's how the Telluride performed

Save as much as $1,832 with Edmunds

2027 Kia Telluride pricing in Ashburn, VA

Edmunds suggests you pay

2027 Kia Telluride SX Prestige	Edmunds test results
Engine	2.5-liter turbo inline-four
Power	274 hp
Torque	311 lb-ft
Driveline	all-wheel drive
Transmission	eight-speed automatic
Weight	4,800 pounds
0-30 mph	3.2 seconds
0-45 mph	5.3 seconds
0-60 mph	8.3 seconds
0-75 mph	12.0 seconds
Quarter mile	16.1 seconds @ 87.2 mph
60-0 mph braking	129 feet
Lateral grip (200-foot skidpad)	0.80 g
Sound at idle	40.4 dB
Sound at 70 mph	64.0 dB
Price as tested	$56,665

How's the Telluride's fuel economy?

EPA fuel economy rating: 20 mpg combined (18 city/24 highway)
Edmunds' observed fuel economy: 18.6 mpg
Best fill: 21.8 mpg
Best range: 406.4 miles
Odometer: 2,708 miles

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by Jake Sundstrom

Jake Sundstrom has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles. Jake is currently a features editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to National Hot Rod Association publications. When he's not driving cars, he's eating takeout inside of them (probably burgers, burritos or pizza).

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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