2027 Kia Telluride HEV: A Hybrid Electric SUV

After a week driving the redesigned 2027 Kia Telluride HEV SX-Prestige AWD across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, I came away impressed by how Kia has transformed one of its most successful SUVs without sacrificing the qualities that made the Telluride popular in the first place.

For 2027, the Telluride enters its second generation with its first hybrid powertrain, a more substantial exterior design, a roomier cabin, and a new generation of technology and driver-assistance features.

The acronym HEV stands for Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Unlike a plug-in hybrid, you don't need to connect the Telluride to a charger. The gasoline engine and electric motors work together, and the hybrid battery is replenished automatically through the vehicle's operation and regenerative braking.

Hybrid Power/Performance

Under the hood sits a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain that produces 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The SX-Prestige sends that power to an all-wheel-drive system.

In crowded city traffic, the Telluride delivered smooth hybrid and electric power, especially when accelerating from a stop. It didn’t feel like a large three-row SUV struggling to move. The response was quick and confident.

The 2027 Telluride also felt composed on the highway, with plenty of reserve power for merging and passing, and the cabin remained impressively quiet. The suspension also strikes a good balance between comfort and control, which I appreciated on the DMV's mix of smooth highways, patched pavement, and urban streets.

Kia's Electrification-Vehicle Motion Control system uses the hybrid system's electric motors to manage ride and vehicle control. Drivers of the AWD models can use the My Drive modes to switch between Eco, Sport, Snow, Mud, and Sand Terrains.

Exterior/Interior Redesign

Already a beautiful vehicle, the 2027 Telluride offers better seating for large families and passengers, with more room, improved access to the second and third rows, and increased cargo space. 

The interior enters the premium luxury territory with sophisticated, upscale materials and a clean dashboard design. SX-Prestige equipment includes an Ergo Motion driver's seat, heated and ventilated second-row seating, a heated, power-adjustable steering wheel, a digital rearview mirror, and a head-up display.

Known for equipping its vehicles with the latest advanced technology, Kia builds on that tradition with the 2027 Telluride, which features a panoramic digital display that dominates the dashboard, a 12-inch head-up display that projects important driving information into the driver's line of sight, a Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays a camera image of the adjacent lane in the instrument cluster when the turn signal is activated, and a 360-degree Surround View Monitor that is particularly helpful when maneuvering a vehicle this size into tight urban parking spaces.

Models/Price

The 2027 hybrid lineup offers six configurations: EX FWD at $46,490; EX AWD at $48,490; SX FWD at $51,490; X-Line SX AWD at $54,490; SX-Prestige AWD at $56,590; and X-Line SX-Prestige AWD at $57,590. Prices exclude destination and options.

Safety Tech

Telluride's extensive driver-assistance technology includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Highway Driving Assist 2, which helps maintain speed and following distance, keeps the Telluride centered in its lane, and assists with lane changes on compatible highways. The forward-collision system can detect several potential hazards involving vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists and, under certain conditions, provide braking or steering assistance.

Fuel Economy

The key benefit is the fuel efficiency the HEV system offers in a three-row AWD SUV that produces 329 horsepower. According to the EPA, the SX-Prestige AWD is rated at 30 city/32 highway mpg and 31 combined.

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