Currently reading: Kia Telluride SUV gets eight seats and all-terrain response

Largest Kia yet was designed specifically for the US, but some of its technology will make it to Europe

Kia has revealed its largest model yet, the eight-seat Telluride SUV, with an all-terrain response system that's set to be used on Sportage and Kia Sorento SUVs in the future.

The Telluride, unveiled at Detroit motor show, is designed specifically for the US and will not be sold in mainland Europe or the UK. However, some of its technology will trickle down to more familiar models, such as the seven-seat Sorento and five-seat Sportage.

On sale later this year, the Telluride uses a 3.8-litre GDi V6 petrol engine making 287bhp and 262lb ft of torque. The car was first hinted at when a Telluride concept was revealed at the 2016 Detroit motor show, featuring 3D printed parts and a hybrid powertrain. It has a sibling in the Hyundai Palisade, which was revealed at the Los Angeles motor show last November.

The Telluride has four driving modes – Smart, Eco, Sport and Comfort – as well as two different settings, Snow and AWD lock, for more specific driving conditions. In Eco and Smart, 100% of power is delivered to the front wheels. Comfort and Snow deliver 80% of power to the front wheels and 20% to the rear, while Sport splits the power 65/35 between the front and rear. Lock delivers power evenly to all four wheels. 

The Telluride also introduces Bluetooth connectivity that allows two phones to connect simultaneously. This is another feature expected to appear on European Kias in the next couple of years. 

Following the launch of the Telluride, a Kia pick-up truck based on the same platform is expected, following a Hyundai model due in 2020.

Read more

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Jeremy 15 January 2019

Yes, very XC90, with an old

Yes, very XC90, with an old Ford Flex (US model) front stuck on it. If Volvo can sell XC90s here, I don't know why KIA don't try selling this here too?

JCarter 14 January 2019

Why not

Why not just save time and join forces with Volvo to share the XC90?
00se7en 14 January 2019

Bit of this, bit of that

Rear 3/4 view looks an awful lot like Volvo XC90.

Dash looks very BMW inspired.

Front is quite GM/Cadillac.

Not a bad looking effort I suppose.