My Thoughts Exactly: 2024 Kia Telluride
These three-row SUVs offer a balance of size, space, efficiency, and features to keep a family of six comfortable for miles on end.
There have been over 15 Victory & Reseda Vehicle of The Year Award winners. Some have taken a prominent place in this website’s history than others. Even fewer continue to tell their story on these pages.
One of those #VOTY winners is the Kia Telluride.
Perhaps it is because of current market trends, where families chose to go with a three-row SUV as their primary transporter. They offer a balance of size, space, efficiency, and features to keep a family of six comfortable for miles on end.
When it debuted in 2019, it made one huge splash. It earned every award you could think of – including our own #VOTY19. It ticked off a lot of boxes for families – including the ones listed above.
Kia sent up a 2024 Telluride – the third “victory lap” for this pre-pandemic award winner. This time, it is the SX Prestige X-Line model. We better unpack this one…
The top-of-the-line SX Prestige trim is offered three ways, including the X-Line and X-Pro. No matter which SX Prestige you choose, you get quilted perforated leather seats, contrast stitching, a high level of features with some luxury touches.
The X-Line is simply an appearance upgrade, full of black trimmings to up the “cool factor” of the normal SX Prestige. That includes a set of 20-inch black-painted alloy wheels. The Wolf Gray color certainly makes the difference here.
For 2024, the Kia Telluride is practically a carry-over from last year. The only difference is in the headlamp units. The daytime running lights are now in amber. What’s interesting about these headlamp units is not the narrow vertical LED “bulbs,” but the external housing. It appeared to be a smoked lens. I am not certain whether it is legal or not for it to be as such, but we admit it looked cool.
Everything else is practically the same Telluride I’ve been familiar with since 2019.
I have to keep in mind that each of the four Tellurides I’ve reviewed – including this one – have their differences. Not because of their model years, but of their personalities. Adding the X-Line to the luxurious SX Prestige trim not only delivers on the “cool,” it also confirms the Telluride’s best selling point – it’s smooth driving experience.
The 20-inch wheel/Michelin Primacy tire combination is simply the right move for this mid-size, three-row SUV. On the smoothest stretches of highway, the Telluride lets you relax behind the wheel. On rougher patches of tarmac, the only feedback you’ll get is the noise of the cracks below. On top of that, the suspension absorbs extremely well.
The one desire families have for an SUV in its size class is a space that will be comfortable for miles across all three rows. This is the core reason why the Telluride remains popular and relevant. While everything works well below the cabin, the SX Prestige offers a comfortable atmosphere for everyone. The parents up front can use the Driver Talk function from the infotainment system to check on the children in the back. In turn, you shut down the Harmon Kardon speakers in the second and third rows so they can nap in peace.
From a driver’s perspective, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10-inch head-up display has a plethora of information that is easy to decipher. Controls, switches, and a real shifter are among the highlights that keep the driver in control of their Telluride.
Back to the infotainment system, it is controlled by a 12.3-inch touchscreen that offers plenty of entertainment and information options. However, smartphone mirroring is still done by connecting a cord into a USB-A slot in the center console. Perhaps the Telluride’s next update will include wireless connectivity?
The one thing that remains a constant for the Telluride is what’s underneath its hood. The 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine remains it sole power source. Kia never introduced a hybrid driveline or replaced the V6 with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Nor did they swap out the standard eight-speed automatic transmission for a nine- or ten-speed gearbox. There were never any plans to offer a dual clutch transmission or a CVT on the Telluride either.
It doesn’t have to. The V6 and the eight-speed automatic works absolutely fine. Throttle response is excellent. You do have a few drive modes to play with along with a lock function for the all-wheel drive system. As for fuel economy, the final average figure came to 22.4 MPG. It is within target based on our history with the Telluride.
When it was first introduced, Kia took pride in selling a fully loaded version of a Telluride for under $50,000. That was before the pandemic. This time around, we have a full loaded 2024 SX Prestige with the X-Line upgrade. The sticker price on this vehicle came to $54,540.
Keep in mind that this model is one of 10 trim levels available – and it’s not even the top of the line. By the way, pricing for the 2024 Telluride starts at $36,190.
It’s been years since naming the Kia Telluride our Vehicle of The Year Award for 2019. Those years continue to count. In its wake, its size class witnessed plenty of turnover with updated and all-new models. There’s even one that claims to offer more overall space than anything it’s this class.
The fact is that Kia developed a popular, relevant, and desirable vehicle that fits families just right. The results are in the sales numbers. In 2023, the Telluride was the third-best selling model in the Kia lineup with a sales uptick from 2022. So far in 2024, it remains in the third slot in the lineup.
In all, the Kia Telluride remains true to its mission since its arrival into showrooms back in 2019. Just because a model has had this long of a run does not dimmish it’s value. In fact, it enriches it. Especially one that had quite the impact the Telluride has achieved.
DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Kia America
All photos by Randy Stern