Auto Buyers Guide | Alex on Autos

2027 Kia Telluride Review | Kia's Biggest SUV Has Gone All-In On Turbos & Hybrids

When the original Telluride landed in 2019, people paid over MSRP and waited on waiting lists — for a Kia. The second generation is a complete redesign, not a refresh, and it arrives with a polarizing new front end, a turbocharged four-cylinder as the only engine (no V6 — that goes to the Palisade), and a hybrid option that doesn't just save fuel but actually makes you faster: 329 horsepower, 6.5-second 0-60, and 31-35 mpg depending on trim. The non-hybrid turbo hits 7.3 seconds to 60 and 22 mpg, which is still quicker and more efficient than the V6 in the fraternal-twin Palisade. And despite a spec sheet that makes it look smaller than the Grand Highlander on paper, our tape-measure testing found the Telluride actually has more usable room for adults, child seats, and cargo — a finding that will surprise a lot of cross-shoppers. In this full review we cover the divisive exterior redesign and what changed trim-to-trim, the 2.5L turbo versus the hybrid system and how it slots between Grand Highlander's two hybrid options, 5,000-pound towing (4,500 with hybrid), the driver's seat with inflatable bolsters and massage, the sliding second-row mechanism that lets you keep a forward-facing child seat installed while accessing the third row, the seven-versus-eight seat question (and why the hybrid locks you to seven), the third-row legroom reality for adults, the twin 12-inch LCDs with Disney/Marvel/Star Wars display themes, a column shifter that reclaims huge amounts of console space, a pull-out storage drawer behind the rear seat, instrumented 0-60 and 120-foot braking, handling (B), ride quality (A), 63 dB cabin noise, fuel economy, and a complete comparison against the Hyundai Palisade, Toyota Grand Highlander, Ford Explorer, and the GM triplets (Traverse, Acadia, Enclave) — so you know exactly which three-row belongs in your driveway. Here's why we don't talk about reliability much: https://youtu.be/WicesuUvTXo And resale value? Same thing: https://youtu.be/635cX7A3E_Y Join this channel to get access to perks! https://www.youtube.com/@AAutoBuyersGuide/membership Support on Patreon: patreon.com/autobuyersguide Buy Merch! http://aoamerch.com The Pod: https://www.youtube.com/c/AutoBuyersGuidePodcast EV Buyers Guide: https://www.youtube.com/c/evbuyersguide The Mountain Garden: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMountainGarden Follow us on Facebook: http://fb.me/theautobuyersguide/ #KiaTelluride #2026Telluride #TellurideReview #KiaTelluride2026 #TelluridevsPalisade #TelluridevsGrandHighlander #TellurideHybrid #3RowSUV #MidsizeSUV #KiaSUV #SUVReview #CarReview #AutoBuyersGuide 0:00 intro (smash hit, second gen, biggest Kia ever) 0:42 exterior styling discussion 2:41 Palisade comparison note 3:35 dimensions, complete redesign 4:11 ground clearance, tire/wheel options 6:04 towing, powertrain (turbo vs V6 vs hybrid) 8:05 front seats (inflatable bolsters, massage) 9:35 second row, sliding mechanism 10:00 legroom, child seat room 11:34 7 vs 8 seat options, hybrid restriction 11:51 third row 13:18 interior tour, ambient lighting 15:00 dashboard, LCDs 16:32 infotainment, display themes 18:49 shifter, console storage 19:24 driving impressions 20:05 0-60 results (7.3s turbo, 6.5s hybrid) 21:02 handling grade B 22:03 ride quality A 22:36 cabin noise, fuel economy 24:10 segment overview / competition section 25:01 sales data: Explorer, GM triplets, Telluride+Palisade combined 26:31 Grand Highlander comparison 28:22 Hybrid comparison: Telluride vs Grand Highlander hybrid systems 29:39 Telluride vs Palisade: which to choose 30:02 GM triplets 33:31 final thoughts