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2025 Buick Enclave vs Honda Pilot2023 Kia Telluride: Worth Every Penny
Find out why the 2023 Kia Telluride is one of our favorite mid-sized SUVs. We look at powertrain, trim levels, and more. Read more here.
2023 Kia Telluride – kiamedia.com | Shop 2023 Kia Telluride on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2023 Kia Telluride?
Now four years into its lifecycle, the 2023 Kia Telluride sports a mid-cycle facelift, a host of new features, and two new pseudo-off-road trim levels in the X-Line and X-Pro. As we discuss in this deep dive review of last year’s model and this comparison between the 2022 and 2020 models, Kia’s Telluride is an all-around excellent 3-row SUV stacked with value and family-friendly features. The South Korean automaker builds upon that success for 2023 with an available curved digital cockpit stretching 24-inch across the dashboard and even more active driver aids.
The Breakdown
Deep roster of standard amenities
Brawny styling
Loaded with driver aids
Fuel economy is so-so
Time to add complimentary maintenance
All those driver aids could be annoying
Segment leader for good reasons
2023 Telluride Specs
- 291 horsepower from base engine
- 262 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 6 available trims
- 21 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 87 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Available self-leveling rear air suspension
- 24.6 inches of curved infotainment glory
- Highway Driving Assist 2.0 helps change lanes
- 10 years of powertrain coverage
2023 Kia Telluride Powertrain
Kia fits every 2023 Telluride with a naturally aspirated 3.6L V6 that makes 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. From their Lambda family of engines, it hooks up with an 8-speed automatic to spin the front wheels though AWD is available on any model for two grand. Sporting four corner independent suspension, you can expect competent handling and a pleasant ride but be aware that those available 20-inch wheels lean toward harsher impacts over choppy pavement. An available self-leveling rear air suspension lends a hand when the Telluride is loaded up.
Four drive modes are available – Smart, Eco, Comfort, and Sport – that allow drivers to select from pre-mapped settings for powertrain, drivetrain, and steering effort. Tellurides equipped with AWD tack on a Snow and AWD Lock mode as well, that aim to improve front-to-rear torque distribution in challenging conditions. There are also a host of standard vehicle dynamics systems on hand to keep drivers between the lines including Torque Vectoring Corner Control, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, and Vehicle Stability Management.
Towing & Payload
The base 2023 Kia Telluride can tow 5,000 pounds, which is enough for a small travel trailer or boat for lakeside fun. You’ll need at least an EX-model to access it, but the $695 towing package brings an air-powered self-leveling rear suspension to avoid any Carolina Squatting (intended or not). Moving up to the new X-Line trim brings a transmission Tow mode and top-spec X-Pro models are rated for 5,500 pounds of trailering.
2023 Kia Telluride Fuel Economy & MPG
For a two-ton SUV, fuel economy ratings of 20 mpg in city driving and 26 on the highway for FWD Tellurides isn’t too bad. A comparable Volkswagen Atlas is rated for 21 mpg around town and 25 on the highway. Adding AWD to the Telluride drops economy to 19 and 24, respectively. The good news? This big SUV drinks regular ol’ 87 octane and can go nearly 500 highway miles on a full tank.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Why is the Kia Telluride on this list of Best Three Row SUVs? Because it has automatic climate control, 61-inches of middle row shoulder room, 31-inches of third row legroom, and the option to climatize keisters in the first and second row – and that barely scratches the surface of the smartly laid out Telluride cabin. You can opt for a bench or captain’s seats in the middle row, Nappa leather can be added for a touch of lux, and there are more cupholders than you can shake a Starbucks at.
Conveniences like a reclining third row, one-touch slide-and-fold second row, and a hands-free liftgate with available auto-close further the tremendous level of functionality found on a Telluride. Fold the middle and rear rows down to open up 87 cubic feet of storage or leave them all upright and you’ll still find 21 cubes out back. When you want to keep gear from prying eyes, raise the dual-level cargo floor to create a hidden storage bin. Other niceties include a regular sunroof, available dual panel sunroof, and customizable LED cabin mood lighting.
Entertainment & Technology
A big update for 2023 is the standard infotainment touchscreen ballooning in size to 12.3 inches. It’s here that you can manage Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, the Wi-Fi hotspot, and navigation system – all of which are standard. Upper-level trims build on this with a matching 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster screen that blends into a panoramic curved slab o’ glass. This is the type of thing you’ll find on SUVs from the likes of Mercedes as a point of comparison. Every parent on earth will want the Driver Talk cabin intercom system that amplifies the driver’s voice through the rear speakers to “better communicate with 2nd and 3rd-row passengers.” Otherwise known as yelling at the kids.
Safety Features
You will find a staggering array of active and passive safety features on every Kia Telluride, which has helped it earn top ratings from both NHTSA and IIHS. Drive Wise is the automakers’ suite of standard driver-aids that runs the gamut from forward collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic alert to semi-autonomous highway driving assist and a driver attention warning. SX models bolster this list with automatic high beams, front parking sensors, a Surround View Monitor and live feed of blind spots when the turn signal is engaged.
2023 Kia Telluride Trims & Pricing
LX – $35,000 (est.)
Now with six models to choose from, you may want to check out this article on how to decide which trim is for you before arriving at the dealership. A Telluride LX is your entry-level option that comes sporting 18-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, and a hands-free tailgate. Dual-zone automatic climate control and the 12.3-inch infotainment interface with navigation are cabin highlights. Other standard features include Apple and Android smartphone mirroring, six USB ports, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
S – $37,000 (est.)
The S model rides on 20-inch wheels and adds a power-operated sunroof and wireless phone charger to the mix. You’ll also enjoy heated front seats with power adjustability and a leather-wrapped shift lever.
EX – $40,000 (est.)
Nicely outfitted with an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, and ventilated front seats, the EX can be further upgraded with the Premium package. It includes LED headlamps, 20-inch wheels, and 2nd-row captain’s thrones.
X-Line – $42,000 (est.)
New for 2023, the X-Line adds some adventurous flair with special wheels and badging, a half-inch bump in ground clearance, and trim-exclusive color packages.
SX – $45,000 (est.)
Packing dual sunroofs, full LED lighting, a 10-speaker Harman-Kardon sound system, and stainless-steel cabin trim, the SX is fairly loaded. Opt for the Prestige package to pile on with Nappa leather, a head-up display, climatized middle row, and more.
X-Pro – $47,000 (est.)
The other new model this year, Telluride X-Pro unlocks an extra 500 pounds of towing capacity for a total of 5,500. It also features a 110-volt power inverter, special seat embossing, as well as improved approach and departure angles.
Warranties
Kia has been killing the warranty game for years with their 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage. They also offer five years or 60,000 miles of vehicle coverage and 24/7 roadside assistance. What you won’t find, yet, is any complimentary maintenance like that offered by Toyota and Chevy. However, the Telluride’s corporate-cousin Hyundai Palisade recently started including this, so that may change. Check out a comparison of these two Hyundai group SUVs here.
What We Think
2023 Kia Telluride – kiamedia.com | Shop 2023 Kia Telluride on Carsforsale.com
Kia obviously did their homework when they released the Telluride in 2020, in fact it was designed specifically for the US market. It has been a home run from day one and this 2023 model builds on that excellence. The automaker keeps things simple by including a massive list of amenities, features, tech, and active safety on every model. In fact, there are only two option packages – one for the EX and one for the SX – which makes it easy to recommend any of the six available trims. Though the SX is $10,000 more expensive than a base LX model, the incredible level of content on hand for forty-five grand makes it worth every penny.
