The Refined Icon of Family Adventure
Drive through any American suburb, and you’re almost guaranteed to spot a Kia Telluride. Since its debut, the Telluride has earned a cult following for its brawny looks, plush cabin, bang-for-buck pricing, and bulletproof reliability. For 2025, Kia doubled down on everything that made this SUV a segment juggernaut—and tweaked just enough to keep suburbanites and road-trippers smiling.
Bold Looks Meet Subtle Refinement
If you thought Telluride looked commanding before, the 2025 model turns things up a notch. Kia’s designers sharpened the front and rear ends with a redesigned grille, sleeker LED headlights, and a more sculpted bumper. Blacked-out trim on higher trims like the X-Line and X-Pro delivers full “urban armor” vibes, while chunky new colors keep things interesting in the church parking lot.
The blocky silhouette is still instantly recognizable, unexpectedly cool for a family hauler, and as American as chunk sneakers and iced coffee runs. But step closer, and you’ll spot more luxury touches—especially in the decked-out trims where bold Terracotta leather makes you do a double take. This isn’t your aunt’s basic family SUV; it’s a statement.
Spacious, Tech-Laden, and Actually Comfortable
Kia didn’t fix what wasn’t broken inside, but it did sprinkle in more gadgets and a touch more luxury. Every 2025 Telluride now features a large, intuitive touchscreen with crisper graphics and improved UVO infotainment that’s much snappier. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Standard on most trims, finally. You also get faster-charging USB-C ports and a more responsive wireless charging pad—because no one likes a dead phone at soccer practice.
The driver faces a new customizable digital cluster, and the second row can still be had with an ultra-spacious bench or optional captain’s chairs. Maximum seating is eight (seven with captain’s chairs), and all three rows actually have enough legroom for real adults—no apologizing to the in-laws during road trips.
Cargo space? With all seats up, it’s 21cu.ft.; fold the way-back for a cavernous 46cu.ft., enough for multiple strollers, gear, or that impulsive IKEA run. Loading it up is a cinch, thanks to the hands-free power tailgate, one-touch folding seats, and a dual-level cargo floor.
Grunt to Move a Small Town
Kia sticks with the tried-and-true 3.8L naturally aspirated V6 engine: 291hp, 262lb-ft torque, and the sweet burble of a real six-cylinder motor. Power flows through a slick-shifting eight-speed automatic—choose your flavor: front-wheel drive (for most trims) or all-wheel drive (standard on the X-Line/X-Pro).
Acceleration isn’t head-snapping, but it never feels winded—perfect for merges, mountain passes, or hauling the family and a trailer to Lake Tahoe. Speaking of hauling: towing jumps to 5,500lb on the X-Pro (up 500lb from last year), thanks to an active suspension lift—all without sacrificing the famously smooth, nearly luxury-grade ride.
And don’t sweat the gas bill too much: EPA ratings remain a reasonable 20mpg city/26mpg highway for FWD, a little less with AWD.
Driving, Safety, and Anecdotes from the Road
On the road, Telluride continues to impress with a ride that soaks up all but the gnarliest potholes. The steering is precise, the cabin remarkably quiet (even at highway speeds), and visibility is superb—huge windows and smartly placed mirrors give confidence whether you’re parallel parking or zipping along I-95.
Kia’s DriveWise safety suite is now even more loaded. Every 2025 Telluride includes advanced features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking (now with better cyclist/pedestrian detection), adaptive cruise with lane centering, blind-spot monitoring (with live video in the cluster), rear cross-traffic alert, and more. X-Line/SX trims get even smarter highway driving assist, making long-haul journeys less stressful.
Owner reviews praise the interior’s comfort—some say the cabin’s quieter than some luxury cars. One reviewer even claimed they “liked it better than a new CX-90,” which is high praise considering Mazda’s reputation for plushness. There are a few real-world gripes (windshield chips, rare recalls), but overall reliability and customer satisfaction are holding strong.
Trim Walk and Pricing—Which Telluride Is Right For You?
Here’s how the 2025 Telluride lineup shakes out:
| Trim | MSRP | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| LX | $36,390 | 8-seat, 291hp V6, 12.3in touchscreen, all safety tech |
| S | $39,390 | Adds moonroof, power driver’s seat, 20in wheels |
| EX | $42,090 | Leather, ventilated seats, upgraded infotainment |
| SX | $46,190 | Harman Kardon audio, 360 camera, Highway Drive Assist 2.0 |
| X-Line, X-Pro, Prestige | $46k–$54k | Standard AWD, higher tow, off-road bits, luxury upgrades |
All trims get three rows, advanced safety, and that polished ride. Even at the top end, Telluride undercuts most luxury rivals—while offering more space and kit than many.
Should You Buy the 2025 Telluride?
If style, value, tech, and hassle-free ownership matter—and you want to look cooler than your neighbor with a Highlander—the 2025 Kia Telluride is as compelling as ever. There’s a reason it remains the best-selling midsize SUV in America: it just nails what families want, and now does it with even sharper style, richer tech, and smarter safety.