As a devoted dog dad, I often find myself wondering if my little fluffy one would like the cars I see. Of course, she likes anything that comes after “Who wants to go for a ride?” But when I looked into the 2025 Kia Telluride, I found myself feeling the urge to wag my tail, stick my nose out the window with pure joy, and search for a Kia dealer.
I’m sure you’re already familiar with the Telluride. It’s been the belle of the midsize SUV ball with both drivers and car reviewers since its highly anticipated debut in 2020. Kia wisely decided to go with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy for the 2025 Telluride, sticking with its major selling points from 2024 and mostly adding updates to its already-cutting-edge tech and safety features, along with a few stylistic tweaks to differentiate it from previous model years.
The 2025 Kia Telluride is a bona fide head-turner for canines and humans alike, showing off its bold style, ridiculously comfortable cabin, and versatile power. Its appeal extends far and wide, making this SUV a smart, stylish, and practical choice for everyone from a weekend adventurer to a growing family or anyone who just wants a smooth daily commute. Let’s delve into what makes the Telluride such a special ride. Whether you’re new to the car-buying game or you’ve test-driven more vehicles than you can count, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the 2025 Kia Telluride.
Bold First Impressions: Design and Presence
As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The 2025 Kia Telluride won’t need a second chance. Its bold front grille, sculpted lines, and assertive stance attract eyeballs and make it look more like a luxury SUV than a budget-friendly midsize. Kia has added subtle changes to the exterior this year, keeping the design fresh without straying from what works. Sleek LED lighting, a refined rear fascia, and new wheel options help it stand out wherever it goes. For those who appreciate aesthetics, the Telluride looks as good pulling into a school drop-off zone as it does parked outside a rustic mountain cabin.
Room to Roam: Interior Comfort and Versatility
Step inside the 2025 Telluride, and it’s immediately clear that Kia didn’t hold back when it came to comfort and functionality. There’s a reason why this SUV is a favorite among families, carpoolers, and road-trippers alike. It offers genuine space for up to eight passengers. Whether you’re driving a group of friends to a concert or packing up the kids for a weekend getaway, everyone has room to stretch out. Even the third row is made for actual adults, which is a rarity in this segment, akin to finding a unicorn in the back seat. Sorry, you can’t plop your annoying grown-up cousin back in the kids’ row as a form of punishment anymore on family trips.
Materials in the cabin lean more toward premium than you would expect at this price point. Soft-touch surfaces, available Nappa leather upholstery, and a clean, user-friendly layout give off strong luxury vibes. Cargo space is another big win. With all the seats up, you still get enough room for groceries, gym bags, or strollers. Fold the second and third rows down, and you’re looking at a colossal 87 cu.ft. of cargo capacity, ideal for hauling furniture, sports gear, or a whole lot of camping equipment.
Power and Performance: Plenty of Horses Under the Hood
The 2025 Kia Telluride’s powertrain keeps things simple yet satisfying. It comes with a 3.8L V6 engine that produces 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough for confident highway merging, smooth passing power, tackling rugged trails, and even towing up to 5,500 lbs when properly equipped. Whether you’re lugging your boat along for a weekend escape or just want an SUV that doesn’t feel sluggish when fully loaded, the Telluride delivers.
Kia pairs this engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts smoothly and doesn’t hunt for gears. Front-wheel drive is standard, but you might want to opt for all-wheel drive, especially if you live in an area with unpredictable weather or enjoy the occasional off-road adventure. The ride quality is downright comfy, absorbing bumps and potholes like a champ. Even on longer trips, your passengers will feel relaxed, not rattled.
What’s nice for both new drivers and seasoned commuters is how composed the Telluride feels behind the wheel. It’s easy to drive, with responsive steering and excellent visibility all around. Parking an SUV can sometimes be intimidating, but Kia includes helpful features like parking sensors, an available 360° Surround View Monitor, and optional Remote Smart Parking Assist. It can park itself in tough spots, and you never have to squeeze into your door like a sardine in tight parking spaces when the car next to you isn’t coloring within the lines. Whether you’re a parallel parking pro or not, this SUV has your back.
Smart and Safe: Technology That Works for You
One of the most compelling reasons to consider the 2025 Kia Telluride is how much technology it packs in without making you pay extra. Kia’s infotainment system is one of the best in the business, with crisp graphics, logical menus, and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That means you can plug in, or not, and still access your favorite apps, music, and maps without any fuss.
Tech lovers will appreciate features like a Head-Up Display, available Harman Kardon Premium Audio System, and multiple USB-C ports throughout all three rows. For anyone who frequently hauls passengers, an intercom system lets drivers speak to passengers through the Telluride’s rear speakers. Its quiet zone mode mutes the back speakers and limits the volume on the front row speakers, so it’s easy to keep kids entertained or let a baby nap in the back while you enjoy a podcast up front. The available 12.3-inch Dual Panoramic Displays combine a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment touchscreen into one beautiful two-foot strip of seamless, sleek, and easy-to-read visual technology with intuitive controls.
On the safety side, the 2025 Telluride comes standard with Kia’s robust Drive Wise suite of advanced driver-assistance features. This includes standard Auto Emergency Braking with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Intersection Turning Detection technology, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go to help maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you and even stop and start again if needed. The Kia Telluride’s built-in peace of mind is anything but standard.
So Many Trim Packages
Kia offers a whopping ten trim levels for the Telluride. That’s more trim packages than many auto manufacturers have models. To stick with the canine theme, I’ll explain the personalities of a few key trim levels by comparing them to popular dog breeds. If you’re not a dog person, feel free to replace them with the appropriate cat breed.
LX
This base model is the Labrador Retriever of Tellurides. Just like a Lab, the LX is loyal, friendly, and doesn’t need flash to win hearts. With LED headlights illuminating the way, great fuel efficiency, and a modern and intuitive interior design, this trim is all about straightforward functionality and everyday comfort. You can trust it as much as a Lab.
EX
Welcome to the Border Collie trim, smart, focused, and capable, just like a Collie herding sheep with effortless grace. The EX adds leather-trimmed seats for elevated comfort and a power liftgate for when your hands are full and you need to open up the cargo area. It’s the trim that balances brains and refinement to make every move count.
EX X-Line
This is the noble German Shepherd, strong, intelligent, and born to lead. The EX X-Line takes the EX’s brains and adds brawn with raised ground clearance and all-wheel drive with a center locking differential. Like a German Shepherd, it’s confident and equipped to handle tougher terrain without losing its composed nature.
SX
The SX is clearly the Siberian Husky, bold, energetic, and ready to go wherever the road leads. Dual sunroofs invite the sky in for you and your pack, while the Harman Kardon premium audio system keeps the vibes high. The SX is flashy, fun, and always looking for the next adventure.
SX Prestige X-Pro
The Great Dane of Tellurides is the ultimate combination of luxury and muscle. This trim has a massive presence but moves with surprising grace. It boasts 18-inch X-Pro black wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires and a 5,500-lb towing capacity, proving that pure muscle and elegance can coexist at the top of the food chain.
The 2025 Kia Telluride is the Best in Class
At the end of the day, the 2025 Kia Telluride checks all the right boxes and then some. It’s spacious without being oversized, powerful without being thirsty, stylish without being over-the-top, and packed with technology that’s both useful and accessible. Whether you’re a car enthusiast who appreciates smart engineering or someone buying your very first SUV, the Telluride offers a model to fit your lifestyle and feels a lot more premium than its price tag suggests.
If you need an SUV that handles school runs, mountain roads, work commutes, and family vacations with equal ease, the Kia Telluride is calling your name. There simply isn’t another vehicle on the market quite like it, beautifully balancing practicality and polish.
