The Kia Telluride gets refreshed and embraces a boxier aesthetic.
Kia has officially turned the page on its successful midsize SUV with an exclusive look at the reimagined 2027 Kia Telluride. Since its debut six years ago, the Telluride has been a defining success for the brand, balancing refined luxury with rugged capability and earning a reputation for defining family adventure. For this second generation, the goal was not to reinvent, but to elevate and preserve the essential design DNA that made the original a standout. The second-generation SUV is expected to arrive in showrooms during the first quarter of 2026.
The 2027 Telluride has undergone a substantive growth spurt to enhance its presence and interior space:
- Overall Length: Increased by 2.3 inches.
- Wheelbase: Stretched by nearly three inches.
- Height: Elevated by one inch.
These dimensional changes contribute to improved interior packaging, enhanced access for easier entry and exit into the second and third rows, and up to half an inch more headroom in models equipped with sunroofs. The new Telluride’s design is guided by Kia’s global Opposites United design philosophy, which seeks to blend contrasting elements like strength with elegance, and toughness with sophistication.
The exterior is inspired by the untamed beauty of its namesake Colorado town and conveys strength and confidence. Key exterior details include:
- Front End: Features a bold, robust design with a broad hood and a high-gloss grille.
- Lighting: Vertical headlamps frame the grille, reinforced by twin LED vertical strips featuring Kia’s Star Map lighting graphic in the front, echoing the instantly recognizable vertical bar tail lamps of the original.
- Side Profile: Characterized by fluid body contours, aggressively defined triangular creases in the fenders that resemble a diamond’s facets, and flush door handles, similar to those found on the Kia EV6 and EV9 electric vehicles.
- Wheels: Available in 18-, 20-, and 21-inch sizes with contrasting finishes and D-shaped patterns. New exterior paint options include Black Jade Green and Terrain Brown (available in glossy and matte finishes).
The X-Pro trim embraces a darker, more commanding character with specific rugged enhancements:
- Aesthetics: Wears blacked-out wheel arches, side mirrors, beltline trim, and D-pillars. Up front, it features a mesh-type grille and a squared-off lower black bumper.
- Capability: Pushes beyond aesthetics with all-terrain tires and an increased 9.1 inches of ground clearance (an increase of 0.7 inches over the outgoing model).
- Utility: Adds standard front and rear recovery hooks and a new Ground Lighting feature that projects soft light from the rearview mirrors and beneath the rear doors and bumper to illuminate the surrounding area.
The cabin is inspired by the vision of a boundless sanctuary, blending urban living with the natural world, and is guided by the core CMF (Color, Materials, and Finish) concept of Grandioso—a magnificent yet restrained elegance.
- Layout: Features a wide, horizontal layout and a bold wraparound design with wood-like textures and real metal accents.
- Luxury Touches: Includes subtle ambient lighting beneath the center console. Available mesh headrests in the first and second rows, and a passenger console that transforms into a functional table in the rear.
- Utility Redefined: The reconfigurable cargo area features a folding luggage table with integrated ruler markings and a removable partition.
- Colorways: Draw from luxury interiors with rich hues, including combinations like Deep Navy with Tuscan Umber and a sophisticated new shade, Blackberry with Sand Beige. X-model interiors are more grounded with all-black, deep khaki, or saddle brown tones.
