With a host of vehicles that are packed with safety features and backed by some of the best warranty coverage in the entire industry, Kia has continued to impress the vehicle-buying public year after year. In fact, Kia is so far removed from their once less-than-stellar reputation as an economy brand that it seems like a different entity altogether. Kia’s growth and development in the past several years has been parallel to that of the SUV, unquestionably the most popular vehicle class in the automotive marketplace. Kia offers quite a few different options, each of which has its own unique attributes that ideally suit the needs of any driver. This is certainly the case with the Kia Telluride. Available in a multitude of trim levels, choosing which one is perfectly suited for your needs might present itself as somewhat of a difficulty. If you’re in the market for a new SUV and a Kia Telluride for sale has piqued your interest, we’re here to help.
The 2024 Kia Telluride has a staggering ten trim levels available, ensuring that no matter what your wants, needs, and budget, the Telluride can fulfill them. Here, we’re looking at the more off-road-oriented X-Line and X-Pro trims and what each one gives you. These trims include all-wheel drive as standard equipment. (It’s also available as a $2,000 standalone option on the LX, S, EX, and SX trims.) They also offer three color choices for a leather interior: black, terracotta, and green. Under the hood, you’ll find a 3.8L V6 that delivers 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. This engine pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission for ideal performance. Despite being powered by a V6 and having AWD, drivers can expect to achieve 19 miles per gallon in city driving, a number that increases to 24 when the vehicle takes to the highway. The Telluride is also a vehicle with adaptability and versatility for both work and play. With over eight inches of ground clearance, off-roading excursions can be taken, and a towing capacity of 5,500 lbs makes the vehicle adaptable as a workhorse. Seating for either seven or eight passengers and a maximum of 87 cubic feet of storage space with the seats folded down allows drivers plenty of room for cargo or company.
Kia Telluride EX X-Line
Now that the basics have been covered, it’s time to see what the EX X-Line trim has to offer. You’ll have a host of safety features at your disposal, such as blind-spot collision warning, forward collision warning, as well as pedestrian and cyclist detection. Driver alertness and adaptive cruise control are both standard, both of which help to reduce driver fatigue over long stretches of highway driving. Comfort is ensured thanks to heated and ventilated front seats. Entertainment is provided courtesy of a six-speaker stereo system that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto using the vehicle’s 12.3-inch infotainment screen.
Kia Telluride SX X-Line
Going up two levels of trim provides additional features and amenities that are certain to impress. As far as safety and driving assistance are concerned, the SX-X builds on the offerings from the EX X-Line and includes a few notable upgrades. These include such items as blind-spot collision warning and monitoring, parking distance and collision avoidance, and highway driving assistance, which can control steering and acceleration depending on traffic patterns. This trim also includes a convenience feature that Kia refers to as Driver Talk. Ideal for when your Telluride is full of passengers. When activated, what you say will be broadcast through the rear speakers, preventing you from having to yell to backseat passengers so they can hear you. You’ll also have the benefit of a digital instrument cluster that matches the size of the infotainment screen, giving the Telluride a more futuristic feeling. Speaking of which, from here on up, you’ll have better sound quality thanks to a high-end system from the experts at Harmon & Kardon, upgrading the speakers and adding an eight-inch subwoofer for superior audio quality.
Kia Telluride SX X-Pro
Offering many of the same advantages of the SX X-Line trim, the SX X-Pro builds upon these items and adds more. We were impressed by the 110-volt power inverter in the rear cargo area of the Telluride. The SX-X Pro is also more geared towards those who play hard, courtesy of its all-terrain tires and 18-inch alloy wheels. The X-Pro trims also increase towing capacity from 5,000 to 5,500 pounds, making those adventures more interesting with the capacity to bring some quads or ATVs on the next excursion.
Kia Telluride SX Prestige X-Line
As we scale the ladder of trims, we encounter more luxury and technology that makes each level more attractive than the last. The SX Prestige X-Line is the one trim that comes available in a color that Kia refers to as Dawning Red, perfect for those who wish to make a declarative statement as they drive. Some of the features available at this level are automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers and a full-display mirror, providing a traditional rear-view mirror that also serves as a rear camera. Your passengers will be pleased as heated and ventilated second-row seats are standard. While the 110-volt power inverter in the cargo area is absent on this trim, one exists in the second-row center console. Geared towards those who favor a more sophisticated ride, 20-inch gloss wheels come standard to help make a memorable first impression.
Kia Telluride SX Prestige X-Pro
At last, we’ve reached the tip of the mountain to look upon the creme de la creme of the Kia Telluride. The SX Prestige X-Pro is what happens when sophistication and off-road performance blend with one another. The Prestige comes with 18-inch wheels and all-terrain tires, plus the same towing capacity increase to 5,500 pounds as the SX X-Pro, while retaining all of the luxurious attributes that were introduced with the Prestige X-Line. If you’re someone who enjoys the finer things in life but also loves to play in the dirt from time to time, Kia has a trim that caters to both of these tastes flawlessly.
Choosing the Perfect Trim
It’s a well-documented fact that no two drivers are the same in terms of what they consider the ideal vehicle to be. This is certainly the case when it comes to choosing an SUV. While some emphasize safety, and others push the ability to embark on adventures where the road ends, the X-Line and X-Pro trims of the Telluride are one of the few cases where a vehicle is all-encompassing in terms of what it has to offer. No matter which version you decide on, you’ll have not just AWD and a beefy V6 at your disposal, but also the knowledge that you’re covered by Kia’s industry-leading warranty coverage for ten years or 100,000 miles.
There’s no question that it was Ford and Chevy who were mainly responsible for the modern SUV boom, but it’s Kia who has been instrumental in perfecting it and refining the vehicle class into fine art. These five trims embody the quality and craftsmanship that drivers not only want but most certainly deserve.
