Photo: Kia
Over in the Empire State of the South, an all-new SUV will be built for U.S. customers, arriving for the 2020 model year. Telluride is the name, and glancing at the eight-passenger utility vehicle reveals that the Telluride has the makings of a commercial hit.
Penned by the Kia design studio in Irvine and revealed at the New York Fashion Show, this fellow is “the largest and most refined SUV” ever made by Kia will “arrive in showrooms in early 2019.” Several inches longer than the Sorento, the Telluride will be available with a “V6-powered option.”
It remains to be seen what engine Kia is talking about. The 3.3- and 3.8-liter V6 powerplants from the Lambda II family are the main culprits, though it remains to be seen if natural aspiration or turbocharged technology is in the cards. A vehicle of this size and weight could surely use forced induction.
The prototype in the photo gallery is far off the production model, sporting 265/50R 20-inch off-road tires and saddle-inspired leather. The snorkel and custom-designed bumpers are also out of the question, though we’re sure the aluminum roof rack will be included in the options list.
As for the rear-mounted spare wheel and leather strap on the roof rack, Kia is not so convincing. At the end of the day, the South Korean automaker wants a piece of the market where the Honda Pilot and Acura MDX are selling by the bucketload. To this effect, forget the off-road paraphernalia and imagine the Telluride with family-oriented features.
Drawing influence from the Texas-inspired runway collection by fashion designer Brandon Maxwell, the Telluride protoype also features leather straps for the hood and rally-inspired lights mounted up front. The saddle leather theme continues on the mirror caps, which is a questionable statement in regard to automotive design.
“Will it be available in Europe?” Considering that Kia didn’t slip a word about the Telluride on its European websites, that’s a no. Alas, the Sorento will remain the largest SUV in the lineup over in the Old Continent.
It remains to be seen what engine Kia is talking about. The 3.3- and 3.8-liter V6 powerplants from the Lambda II family are the main culprits, though it remains to be seen if natural aspiration or turbocharged technology is in the cards. A vehicle of this size and weight could surely use forced induction.
The prototype in the photo gallery is far off the production model, sporting 265/50R 20-inch off-road tires and saddle-inspired leather. The snorkel and custom-designed bumpers are also out of the question, though we’re sure the aluminum roof rack will be included in the options list.
As for the rear-mounted spare wheel and leather strap on the roof rack, Kia is not so convincing. At the end of the day, the South Korean automaker wants a piece of the market where the Honda Pilot and Acura MDX are selling by the bucketload. To this effect, forget the off-road paraphernalia and imagine the Telluride with family-oriented features.
Drawing influence from the Texas-inspired runway collection by fashion designer Brandon Maxwell, the Telluride protoype also features leather straps for the hood and rally-inspired lights mounted up front. The saddle leather theme continues on the mirror caps, which is a questionable statement in regard to automotive design.
“Will it be available in Europe?” Considering that Kia didn’t slip a word about the Telluride on its European websites, that’s a no. Alas, the Sorento will remain the largest SUV in the lineup over in the Old Continent.
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