12 months, 19,000 miles, and zero complaints. The Telluride makes you question why anyone spends $20k more on a German SUV.
The Value Equation
We cross-shopped the Telluride against the Lexus RX350L, the Audi Q7, and the Lincoln Aviator. After sitting in all four, the Kia lost nothing on interior quality. After pricing all four, we saved between $18,000 and $27,000.
The Telluride’s SX trim is genuinely well-appointed — soft-touch materials where your hands actually touch things, ambient lighting, a clean infotainment layout, and real space in the third row. That last point is rare.
What We Like
- Interior quality rivals vehicles costing $15k more
- Best 3-row layout for adults in the third row
- Standard driver assistance tech is excellent
- 10-year/100k powertrain warranty
What We Don’t
- Fuel economy (21 mpg combined) is disappointing
- Blind spot monitoring has false alerts occasionally
- Cargo behind third row is minimal
My neighbor has a Lexus RX and after riding in my Telluride asked me to send him the dealer contact.
Owned for 12 months before this review was published.
The Bottom Line
The best value in the 3-row SUV segment, and genuinely competitive with vehicles at twice the price.
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