The Kia Telluride has seen widespread acclaim and great reviews over the past few months, and the latest scoop from Extreme Tech was heavy on the praise element. Features writer Bill Howard claims after a drive that it's “completely amazing, and gifted with a smooth ride as well as the ability to tow a 5,000 lb trailer”. He was massively impressed that the lowest trim level has every necessary safety tool and driver assist, on the front-drive LX model.
Among these safety features are blind-spot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, rear parking sonar, drowsy driver warning, and rear occupant alert. Rear occupant alert is a true lifesaver: it warns you if you leave pets or kids in the car while unintentionally in a rush. That is all in addition to the usual stability control and rear backup camera. For his test drive, Bill had his hands on the wheel of the top of the line SX trim, where he felt it was at its best on the highway. It proved to be quiet, roomy and offered a very comfortable ride.
He deemed the brakes excellent after putting the Telluride through a few “panic stops”, and he also put the Highway Driving Assist to the full test. This is Kia's Level 2 implementation of self-driving, which places the Telluride on the pre-set cruise control speed, and keeps the car centered. The driver has to have their hands on the wheel often enough that the car senses them still there, and paying close attention. All Telluride models come with another way to have a sort of self-driving: you can engage adaptive cruise control followed by lane center assist, keep your hands mostly on the wheel, and the vehicle follows the road ahead including gentle turns.
All 4 trim models come with the 3.8-liter 291 hp V6 engine with 8-speed automatic and have a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. There are five USB jacks, your choice of 8-inch or 10.25-inch center stack display, and the option for remote start via smartphone. All of us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis would recommend the SX trim level for those who simply need everything in a vehicle: it has the Blind-Spot View Monitor, surround view cameras, LED headlamps and fog lamps, dual sunroofs, 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio, and black 20-inch alloys. This review stated that the “Telluride is simply so good that Kia should raise the price”, and we promised to continue giving you the great value, standout safety features, and world-class warranty that we always have!
