The Drive Says of 2020 Kia Telluride: “No Getting Around the Fact that it's Stellar”

William Clavey of The Drive has had the opportunity over the years to test drive many capable, reliable, and high-tech cars and SUVS, and this past week produced an in-depth feature about the 2020 Kia Telluride. The first thing that he commented on was the overall delivery of the product, touting excitedly that this is “Something that will make you rethink Toyota and Honda ownership for good.” Everyone on duty here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis agrees with William here that the Telluride is our means of penetrating the lucrative segment of SUV ownership.

This “second take” for us arrives during an era when consumers just “can't get enough SUVs”, and when Korean brands are developing trust due to increased reliability and superior tech regarding the competition. We enjoyed the comparison of the Telluride with its width and boxiness being reminiscent of “a Korean interpretation of a Chevy Tahoe”. In a world where all 3-row mall finders look the same, the Telluride is the one that the kids will feel they look the coolest in after being dropped off at school!

With the new model seeing availability in front or all-wheel-drive, the Telluride is powered by a naturally aspirated 3.8-Liter V6 good for a claimed 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The zero to 60 mph sprint takes place in about seven seconds flat, and the towing ability goes up to 5,000 pounds. This puts it right at the core on par with competition such as the likes of the Honda Pilot, Volkswagen Atlas, Chevy Traverse, and Subaru Ascent. In comparison to the Palisade, it is said here that the Telluride has what is a more mainstream and laid-back vibe and is host to conventional analog gauges and gear lever instead of push-button gear selector.

Even though some may feel the presentation and functionality of the infotainment center is a bit on the simple side, the large colorful icons, quick-reacting screen, and redundant physical buttons are all worthy of praise for not over complicating things. The testing staff here recommends driving it hard for fun in Sport mode, where it remains surprisingly spongy and soft with bursts of high performance. The naturally aspirated V6 sees praise here for being smooth, quiet, and adequately tune for its intended daily use.

This is the first time that an SUV has won these three prestigious awards in one year:

·      2020 NACTOY Utility Vehicle of the Year

·      Motor Trend SUV of the Year

·      Car and Driver 10Best

Bringing these high-level accolades home as the ultimate trophy caps a year of unprecedented success for the brand we love so much to represent here every day, and heartily confirms our brand as among the best in the industry. It has also successfully been granted numerous “Best of” honors and top accolades from various other print, online, and video outlets.

Motor1.com Claims More Power, Variable Exhaust on the Way For 2021 Kia Stinger

Adrian Padeanu of Motor1.com admitted that he was pleased that Kia “dared to introduce a sporty liftback in an SUV-obsessed world”, and reported last week on the mid-cycle refresh taking place for the Stinger's 2021 release. A new report from South Korean magazine Top Rider claims that there will be quite a few changes for the new facelift. As far as the power department is concerned, the range-topping GT model will now put to use an upgraded version of the existing twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 engine.

Due to this step up, the output is expected to grow from the current 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque to 380 hp and 390 lb-ft. This pleasant jump in output will be also complemented by the company's very first implementation of a variable exhaust system with adjustable flaps to make changes to the piping sound. There are also slated to be redesigned front and rear bumpers along with a freshly updated look for the headlights. The taillights are on schedule to see a bit of tweaking as well and will be linked to one another by a full-width LED light bar that is now common on many recent models.

Everyone is wanting bigger and bigger as far as infotainment screens are concerned, and we understand the rage: the 2021 model will see a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system instead of the current 8-inch setup. There also may be the addition of adaptive headlights that turn with the wheel to light up the path into corners and seats featuring automatically adjusting side bolsters to hold drivers in place while in the exhilarating Sport mode. The staff hard at work on the Autoevolution blog claimed that the Stinger's “fastback shape is way cooler than your average sporty compacts like an STI or Golf R”, and claimed that track-oriented car fans should line up to “give Kia their money!”

This is the stellar and sleek sedan that all of us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis recognize as the main competition against the likes of the Honda Accord as well as Toyota Prius, and there will also be a long list of safety features onboard such as Driver Attention Alert, Direct Collision Assistance, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Advanced Smart Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, and Cross Traffic Alert.

Next year's Stinger is a car that was born to be nothing short of amazing and fiercely brandishes Dynamic Stability Damping Control with 5 modes, MacPherson front and multi-link rear suspension, Rack-mounted motorized power steering with 5 modes, and construction made up of 55% advanced high strength steel. There is still the most choosy and ride-focused car enthusiast out there that wants to walk out the door and grip the pavement with just that: A CAR. The Stinger offers up in a characteristic Kia manner what raw power and the crosstown rival feels and drives like: a number that you frankly just can't wait to hammer the throttle down in and get crazy with!

Kia Telluride Excitedly Named “World Car of the Year”

The “World Car of the Year” award is a highly esteemed and huge honor that recognizes the most significant new vehicle on the scene as determined by an international jury of automotive journalist judges. The Telluride that we are so excited about here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis added to its long list of honors by beating out the Mazda CX-30 and the Mazda3, which were previously announced finalists for the WCOTY award! In another win for Kia, the Soul EV was named World Urban Car of the Year, beating out the Mini Cooper SE and Volkswagen T-Cross.

Last year's honors were taken by the Jaguar I-Pace, and other previous honorees consist of the Volvo XC60, the Jaguar F-Pace, and the Mazda MX-5. The team that makes the decision consists of 86 jurors from 24 countries and runs as an independent organization not tied to any specific publication. This is the 16^th year for the awards to take place, and the amazing interior is just one of the fine qualities that boosted the Telluride to this soaring victory. This super cool video shows the details and a bit about what it feels like to sit in the range-topping SX trim level.

For starters, the host claims that immediately when you sit down, this feels more like an upper-end luxury vehicle than anything from the Honda or Toyota brands. He enjoyed the various accents of leather within the interior, and the large grab handles in the middle that are a bit reminiscent of what the Porsche line has to offer. The storage area by the cup holders is ideal for smartphones, and that's where you also find the wireless charging. There are also two USB ports in the back of the seat, and the 10.25” touchscreen looks fantastic perched on the dash.

Every Telluride does now come standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. On this top-of-the-line SX, there is a “driver talk” option that allows you to use a Bluetooth microphone to project your voice to the passengers in the rear. The host illustrates how comfortable the second-row captain's chairs are, and the rarity of heated and ventilated seats in the second row as well. He also happens to be 6 ft 3 and does a good job of depicting the available space and headroom in the way rear of the Telluride.

While sitting in the third row, the size of the windows also doesn’t make one feel quite as claustrophobic as in some 3-row models, a big plus when embarking on long journeys. We couldn’t be prouder of one of our favorite vehicles for yet another award-winning achievement, and hope that we can assist you to pick out this or any other Kia model to complement your growing family or business this spring! We appreciate the loyalty of our St Louis-area customers during good times as well as those that are more difficult and look forward to finding the perfect vehicle for you.

Automobile Blog Offers up 9 Ways the 2020 Kia Telluride's Interior Crushes the Competition

When the Kia Telluride arrived on display at New York Fashion Week in 2018, Eleonor Segura of Automobile magazine was there to witness its debut, and since then the awards have been stacking up. This year the Telluride has won 2020 Motor Trend Suv of the Year, the IIHS Top Safety Pick, and the All-Star Award from Automobile. It has been such a success that dealers like us right here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis have nicknamed it the “Sell-u-ride”, and many in the marketplace think it looks more desirable than the competition.

The group that produces the blog offered up nine ways that this awesome interior punches above its weight, and some of the cool features you'll find inside.

Upholstery Options: There are nine color and material options that you can utilize to customize the Telluride's upholstery, more than enough to choose from in its category. The Automobile crew's favorites where Butterscotch Leather and Black Nappa Leather seat trims.

Second-Row Seat: Here both grownups and kids can find ultimate comfort due to 42 inches of legroom, plus there are conveniently situated sunshade screens, USB ports, and seats that completely recline and slide.

Center Stack Controls: The location of the climate controls and the layout of the menu is simple and straightforward, and the size of the buttons makes them easy to use even on a bumpy road. Not having a cluttered stance is very important here, and makes for points in the practicality department.

Console Storage: The very massive storage box and side grab handles are two great features, and the Automobile crew claimed they possess the ultimate in tasteful execution. The floor console definitely is capable of commanding attention, and there's more to it than just a standard cup holder like some of the competition boasts.

Infotainment System: Many models out there have been featuring screens that are bigger and bigger, and the EX and SX trim levels now offer a display that is 10.25 inches. Many others besides the Automobile staff loved just how user-friendly it is as well.

Nappa Leather Seat Design: The design pattern for all three Nappa leather upholstery options adds a good bit more flair to the seats, and looks cooler than many of the other options out there. Just a few years back, you were hard-pressed to find anything nearly as sharp-looking, and it feels modern through and through.

LED Interior Lighting: You may not need them often, but we agree that when you do use the map or reading lights in your vehicle, you need them to stand and deliver right away. The Telluride definitely has some of the brightest and best-LED interior lighting found in any vehicle.

Mood Lighting: Available with the SX model, the ambient lighting option offers 64 colors of interior accent lighting. A very cool highlight is that it also extends to the second row of seating, for the times when everyone is in the mood to step out and liven up the party.

Dual Sunroof: The SX model offers up the dual sunroof option, with tilt and slide function on the forward sunroof. As we are now entering the season where everything blooms and the rays are plentiful for soaking up, it is just another winning feature for this vehicle that has already received so much praise and accolade!