Talking Cars 506: Driving the 2027 Kia Telluride

Main theme: In this podcast episode, we give our first impressions of the 2027 Kia Telluride. This is a full redesign of the hugely popular and highly rated model, which was a game-changer among midsized three-row SUVs when it first came out for the 2020 model year. It did pretty much everything well, and garnered an exceptionally high road-test score in Consumer Reports’ testing. 

As with the original Telluride, this latest one shares its platform with the Hyundai Palisade, the redesigned versions of which we’ve already tested in both gas-only and Palisade Hybrid form. The new Telluride is larger and heavier than before, and our panelists delve into how that affects its ride and handling. 

The Telluride has two new powertrains for 2027: The much-loved 291-hp, naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 has been replaced by a 274-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. And for the first time, the Telluride will also be available as a hybrid, featuring a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder with electric drive and a six-speed automatic transmission, with a total system output of 329 hp.

Our experts wrap up the segment with a discussion of whether the new Telluride will be able to dominate as it once did, and which SUV we see as its strongest competitor. 

Audience question: I’ve heard automakers are slowly removing navigation and satellite radio from cars because phones can do the same thing. But if you can’t get a signal for several miles, then you could be in big trouble, especially when using navigation. Why are they doing this?