2020 Kia Telluride Pre-Production Concept Gets Detailed Walkaround

This is supposedly a concept, but it's a thinly veiled one. Like one of Kia's many SEMA show debuts, we are looking at a production car with a few accessories meant to make it more rugged.

We think it's fantastic, minus snorkel and a few other bits. The 2020 Kia Telluride is also a Texas-sized vehicle with a potential eight-seat configuration. Yes, you heard that right!

Best of all, the Korean brand plans to assemble the model in Georgia. It's also got an American-style powertrain, which Kia has confirmed to be a V6. This is either a 3.8-liter unit or, more likely, the 3.3-liter they use in their big minivan as well.

The design of the concept is insipred by the Texas-born fashion designer Brandon Maxwell. That's why the Telluride features a stylized rock-crawling body kit with a tow hook and is even ready for a safari with its roof rack and oddly shaped ladder. Frankly, most of the stuff looks ridiculous, since modern crossovers can't handle a human's weight on their outer skin or a heavy spare wheel over the trunk.

Likewise, no 8-seat family car is ever going to go looking for lions or off-road adventure. Still, the leather hood straps and leather-covered side mirrors are a nice touch.

Even though it kind of looks like one of those Chinese cars we're fans of the vertically stacked headlights and those awkwardly placed taillights. TFL's walkaround video also takes us through the interior, which features a cool tablet screen and USB ports integrated into the sides of the seats. The steering wheel kinda looks like it's from a Mercedes-Benz as well.