Kia goes large with all-new, eight-seat SUV for North America that majors on space, quality and refinement
Kia continues the SUV revamp of its North American line-up with the new Telluride, a mid-size, three-row crossover. It’s a hotly contested, growing segment that includes US-made family transport staples such as the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.You’d be right in thinking that Kia already has a seven-seat SUV in the line-up, but the Sorento is not large enough to compete in this class. The new Telluride – named after a Colorado ski resort – is 200mm longer, 100mm wider and 65mm taller.Under the bonnet is a 3.8-litre, direct-injection petrol V6 that runs on the Atkinson cycle to mitigate the two-tonne SUV’s appetite for fuel. Its 291bhp is par for the course in a class where powerful, large-capacity V6s remain the norm. We drove the Telluride in Canada, where all-wheel drive is standard; it’s optional in the US.The Telluride hit the market for the 2020 model year and will be joined this summer by its platform sibling, the Hyundai Palisade. Neither will be sold in the UK.
Source: Autocar
