Kia Telluride SUV's rave reviews are entirely deserved

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- It has won multiple awards, including Motor Trend magazine's SUV of the Year in 2020. The current model has snared the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top rating. Countless auto reviewers have sung its praises.

And the Kia Telluride is deserving of everything it has received.

That was apparent in my recent week in the 2024 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line V6 AWD tester. A lot of ornate words have been used to describe the Telluride, but here's my simple take: Kia has produced a three-row, midsize SUV that is a nearly perfect blend of urban daily driver and rugged off-road warrior.  It just feels substantial on the move.

And it moves quite well with a 3.8-liter V-6 doing the chores.  Rated at nearly 300 horsepower, the power plant is robust and responsive. Passengers in my tester remarked that they liked being pressed deep into their seats on hard accelerations.

Not the usual deal with an SUV, they said.  True enough.

My X-Line tester looked trail-ready parked at the curb, especially wrapped in "Wolf Gray" paint.  The 20-inch alloy wheels are meant to roll over rocks and run through rivers. And yet my ride was a silky smooth cruiser on the local freeways.

For all of its ruggedness, the Telluride is a dressed up and classy inside.  Nappa leather seating surfaces are comfortable, a 12.3-inch panoramic screen display is easy to read and use, and a heated steering wheel is a welcome plus on cold mornings.  Given the loaded tester, it was very reasonably priced at $54,540.

I think the Telluride's popularity can be explained in the diverse groups of motorists who like it.  The off-road crowd loves it. The daily urban commuters feel the same.  And it even gets nods from those that might not necessarily come to mind.  For example: U.S. News & World Report named the Kia Telluride the best three-row midsize SUV in its “Best Cars for Families” award program for the fifth year in a row.

Family fun and off-the-paved-road enjoyment.  Take your pick.  Telluride has a lot to offer.