MM Static Review/Inspection: 2020 Kia Telluride

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MM Static Review/Inspection: 2020 Kia Telluride
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(SX interior)

Kia's new crossover Telluride SUV has been drawing some interest lately, and my brother, a Kia fan, wanted my opinion of it, even though he is not currently in the market for a new vehicle. There are currently some in stock at local Kia shops here in the D.C. area, though you will not find them in the numbers you do with the Sportage, Soul, and Sorento. Nevertheless, one local Kia shop (the same one, nearby, where my brother and I purchased his 2017 Sportage SX), had an entry-level LX version (roughly 35K list) and a top-line SX (roughly 53K list) sitting on the lot. So, I decided to stop by and at least look at them, even though I didn't do a formal test-drive today (I might later on). The Telluride is actually offered in four different versions (LX/S/EX/SX), but the dealership did not have any mid-level S or EX versions in stock.

First off, the Telluride does not seem as large, in person, as it does in images and photos. The images tend to bloat it some and make it look like a full-size SUV, but it is actually a mid-sizer, about the same length as Subaru's new Ascent.....maybe an inch or two wider. Its body-styling, though traditional SUV two-box square, differs from other Kia SUVs, particularly in the front end, where, IMO, it looks more like a Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon without the Tahoe's crossbar. Still, I like the general styling...I'm a firm believer that SUVs should have square-box space-efficiency, and not try to imitate sports-sedans. And I like the fact that all American-market Tellurides come with a standard 3.8L non-turbo V6....none of this four-cylinder turbo stuff that so many other mid-sized and larger vehicles are turning to. I'm a big fan of N/A V6 engines, and actually paid extra to get one in my Lacrosse.


Outside, the paint job (the LX model was painted jet-black) was first-rate, with a virtually mirror-smooth finish devoid of orange-peel...jet black is a notoriously hard color to do smoothly. The white SX model's paint job was just as smooth, though, of course, the white paint lacked the deep luster of the black. I wasn't impressed, however, by the limited choice of what are mostly super-dull colors for any of the versions.....sometimes, on some of their vehicles, color-wise, I think Kia and Hyundai are in the funeral-home business, and should be building hearses. Although the hood shut solidly and had nice gas struts to keep it open (no fumbling with a manual prop-rod), and the rest of the body sheet metal seemed fairly solid, the doors didn't shut with quite the same thunk that other recent Kia products have had. The SX model had noticeably larger wheels and lower-profile tires than the LX. I can understand the handling advantages of the wagon-wheels and sport-oriented tires, but most people don't buy or lease this type of vehicle for canyon-carving handling, and those larger wheels and tires are usually more expensive to replace, and don't provide as much impact-protection from potholes and other road irregularities. Consider me not a fan....I'll take the wheels on the LX.

Inside, though, the reverse is true.....the SX absolutely blows the LX away. The LX (with a black interior, the only available interior color) had a generally cheap look to it inside, and the materials used inside, though decent by plastic-standards and not flimsy by any means, did not seem quite as robust or well-screwed together as on earlier recent Kia products, such as my brother's 2017 Sportage. The SX, costing some 18K more on the sticker-price, had a much nicer two-tone interior, with extensive wood-tone, brushed-metal, and chrome, that at least looks the part. Some of the parts inside weren't actually any more solid than those on the LX (and not all of the parts inside the LX felt flimsy), but the interior of the SX was much more a feast for the eyes. Both had generally comfortable seats (SOFINO leatherette on the LX, full-leather on the SX), and the SX's seats had full-power adjustment, where you pumped a couple of hand-levers up and down to adjust the LX seats. All Tellurides come with a standard third-row seat in back...this is a vehicle designed for not-so-small families.

So.......another (probable) winner from Kia, lately one of the most successful companies in the auto business. My only concern (besides the funeral-home paint choice) is that the Telluride, though basically a nice vehicle and still solid and well-screwed together, does show some subtle signs of cost-cutting inside compared to previous Kia products, even if you have to look and feel closely to see them. Perhaps Kia is simply being forced to adjust to higher costs for labor, materials, and regulations in an ever-changing world.

And, as Always, Happy Car-Shopping.
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MM
 

mikeavelli

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These things are all over Atlanta. Looks fantastic inside and out and a certain hit. I mean it looks more expensive than it is.