The Kia Telluride's refresh for the 2023 model year brings new features, fresh styling, and additional trim levels, but the updated SUV's increased pricing means it's not quite the amazing bargain it once was. The starting price for the base LX model rises $2300 to $37,025, and some trim levels are up by as much as $2900 compared with last year. Several versions of the three-row crossover now top $50,000, including the off-road-oriented X-Pro that's new for 2023. Show The X-Pro upgrade, which costs $2395, is available only for the all-wheel-drive SX and SX-Prestige trim levels. It adds 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires and increases the tow rating to 5500 pounds. The X-Pro also includes the increased ground clearance and styling tweaks of the more appearance-minded X-Line package that costs $2195 on the EX and $1395 on the SX and SX-Prestige. Front-wheel drive is standard on all versions of the Telluride except for the $51,725 SX-Prestige, which comes with AWD. The S starts at $38,925, the EX at $42,625, and the SX at $46,825. All-wheel drive is a $2000 option on these trims. A 291-hp 3.8-liter V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission remain standard across the board. New standard features for 2023 include a larger infotainment screen, a digital gauge cluster, and additional driver-assistance features. Kia says the 2023 Telluride will start arriving at dealerships this month. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. It's hard to believe that 20 years ago Kia was nothing more than an inexpensive brand in the automotive industry. Their cars were poorly-made, didn't have all that much to offer, and the only real reason why people bought them was because they were really cheap, far cheaper than any of the competitors. By the early 2010s, Kia decided that they'd had enough, and they started a serious move to become more competitive in every segment. This strategy paid-off for Kia, as they're now one of the most desirable automakers in the world. Likewise, the Telluride, which they updated for 2023, is one of the most desirable SUVs on the market today. Note: While we wait for official word from consumers on the upcoming Kia Telluride, HotCars' 'Costs, Facts, And Figures' rating defaults to 1 out of 10. Once we start fielding what owners think of this upcoming vehicle, we'll be sure to update the score to reflect what drivers think. Key Features
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Overview Of The 2023 Telluride
The Kia Telluride arrived in 2019 for the 2020 model year, and it was Kia's first mid-size three-row SUV after the Borrego failed to make an impact on the market about a decade prior. As we all know, the complete opposite is true for the Telluride, which is still sweeping the floor with most of its rivals due to its practicality, capability, and value proposition. Even though it seems as though the Telluride debuted yesterday, the 2023 model year brings along a host of changes. While the new Kia logo and some other minor changes found their way on the Telluride a couple of years ago, the 2023 model is a proper facelift. The front end is all-new, further accenting Kia's tiger-nose grille design, as well as playing host to new headlights. The rear features revised badging and an all-new taillight design. A whole host of new alloy wheel designs are also debuting on the 2023 Telluride. The 2023 model year also brings along two additional trim levels: X-Line and X-Pro. These trims are more off-road focused, and they're the ones to get if you want to tow 5,000 lbs in your Telluride. Kia definitely has faith in X-Line and X-Pro, as the smaller Sportage, thusly equipped, will be taking part in the Rebelle Rally. The 2023 Kia Telluride is going into battle in the highly-competitive mid-size SUV segment, and the likes of the Toyota Highlander, the Honda Pilot, the Hyundai Palisade (its less popular cousin), the slightly quirky Volkswagen Atlas, and the Ford Explorer. 2023 Kia Telluride Powertrain And Drivetrain
The 2023 Telluride does not bring any changes to the powertrain. Under the hood is still the same 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 developing 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. AWD is standard on the Telluride, and the engine sends power to the wheels through a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. While this V6 does more than a solid job of moving the Telluride along, it's still a naturally aspirated V6, meaning it's not the best for fuel consumption. A hybrid or plug-in hybrid would be a fantastic addition to the lineup. The Telluride's handling is pretty sure-footed, but it's not exactly what you would call fun. The previous models were a little wooly, so we're hoping that Kia made some minor adjustments to the 2023 model. Comfort is the Telluride's forte (pun intended), however, and with features like Quiet Mode, it's a comfortable and safe-space for your passengers to travel in. The Telluride is also a fair bit more capable off-road than you might expect, and the 8-inches of ground-clearance tremendously help. 2023 Telluride Comfort And Quality While the changes aren't quite as dramatic on the inside, the 2023 Telluride does bring some novelties. Previously, the Telluride was only available with analog gauges and the infotainment system was separate from the ensemble. The 2023 model moves to Kia's latest pair of digital displays for the instruments and the infotainment system, mounted on the same panel, and the updated infotainment system is here as well. The capacitive touch-buttons that adjust the AC and media are not here, and neither is Kia's turn-dial shift lever. It's altogether more traditional, and there's nothing wrong with that. The steering wheel remains the same, and so does the shift lever. Like before, the Telluride comes standard with a whole lot of stuff you may not expect. While the higher trim levels are a little more expensive, they are practically fully-loaded, and are still less expensive than some luxury equivalents. Tons of safety features come as standard as well, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and more. The 2023 Kia Telluride still gets three-row seating as a standard option, and the cargo area offers 21 cubic-feet of space with all three-rows up, 46 cubic-feet with the third-row down, and a massive 87 cubic-feet with both rows folded. 2023 Telluride Pricing And Launch The 2023 Kia Telluride is set to arrive in dealerships later this year. Pricing details aren't available yet as of May/June 2022, but the current 2022 Telluride starts at an impressive $33,390. Even the fully-loaded SX starts at $43,290. With the new technology and the new trim levels, the 2023 Telluride will most likely carry a small premium, but it's still very much worth it for such a competent, good-at-everything three-row mid-size SUV. When can you buy 2023 Telluride?The 2023 Kia Telluride is coming soon to a Kia dealer near you, with an expected arrival in Fall 2022.
What is different about the 2023 Telluride?A styling refresh for 2023 updates the Telluride to make it even more attractive, including an updated grille, redesigned headlamps, and a new front bumper. Inside, Kia has integrated a new all-digital instrument panel with dual 12.3-inch screens serving as infotainment and gauge displays.
Is Kia increasing production of Telluride?That's why we get a Telluride with plenty of subtle updates. The model is experiencing growing popularity, with 75,120 sold in the U.S. in 2020, and 93,705 in 2021. Production capacity has been raised for 2023.
Is Kia Telluride worth over MSRP?The Kia Telluride sports utility vehicle has long been selling for over its sticker price. Reversing a century of tradition, most cars now sell for over the manufacturer's sticker price.
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