Kia announced upgrades to the 2027 Kia Telluride.

The new Telluride is bigger yet still retains its boxy shape. The Telluride is now 2.3 inches longer overall, with a wheelbase that has been stretched by nearly three inches and a height increase of one inch.

The 2027 Telluride will arrive later this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a variety of trim levels, including the X-Pro trim. The second-generation SUV is expected to arrive in showrooms during the first quarter of 2026.

The Opposites United Philosophy

Since 2021, Kia’s Opposites United philosophy has been the guiding principle for the brand’s design language. In Telluride, this approach is evident in the vehicle’s design.

"With Telluride, it was a matter of being tailored and restrained – dare I say, anti-design," said Tom Kearns, VP and Senior Chief Designer, Kia Design Center America. "With that approach, it was about capturing strength and luxury, tradition and modernness, into a single expression. That's what Opposites United enabled us to do.”

Telluride Exterior Design

Telluride’s exterior design features a front end that sets a new tone, characterized by a broad hood with clean, straight lines. The vertical headlamps frame the high-gloss grille, featuring patterns and new lighting elements.

Fluid body contours are apparent in its shape. Upward-flowing character lines give the impression of lifting the vehicle, emphasizing the SUV’s stance. Floating wheel cladding insulates against the elements, and the tapered roofline preserves interior space. New sculpted notches in the wheel wells are also a new feature. The Telluride features lush door handles, similar to those offered on the Kia EV6 and EV9 models.

A trail-ready sculpted bumper is also a part of the SUV.

X Factor

The Telluride X-Pro features blacked-out wheel arches, side mirrors, beltline trim, and D-pillars, as well as raised roof rails. Up front, a bold mesh-type grille is paired with a squared-off, black lower bumper. The X-Pro features all-terrain tires and 9.1 inches of ground clearance. The X-Pro adds standard front and rear recovery hooks.

"The original Telluride has these instantly recognizable vertical bar tail lamps.  In the second generation, we reinforced this strong light signature by applying it to the front as well,” said Kurt Kahl, Chief Designer, Kia Design Center America. "The twin LED vertical strips that frame the grille and sharpen the Telluride’s face feature Kia's Star Map lighting graphic. The amber-hued DRL lighting returns with this sleeker, more modern expression. Their crisp geometry not only modernizes the SUV but also provides a beacon-like quality, recalling trail markers that guide the way through changing terrain. At the rear, the tail lamps adopt an architectural character. Body color separates the twin light bars, accentuating their graphic clarity. Overall, the front and rear lights appear flush and precise, evoking the high-tech illumination of a digital display screen. The lighting signature evolved, but the essence stayed. It’s still geometric, vertical, clean, and unmistakably Telluride.”

The new Ground Lighting feature is Unique to the Telluride X-Pro. Soft light projects from the rearview mirrors, beneath the rear doors, and from the rear bumper, illuminating the surrounding area of the vehicle. Additional lighting from the raised tailgate aids tasks such as tire changes or cargo access in low-light conditions. When the front doors open, puddle lamps illuminate ‘Telluride’ on the ground beneath. Further defining the Telluride are wheels (available in 18-, 20-, and 21-inches) with D-shaped patterns that create a balance of sophistication and strength. For the X series, the blacked-out wheels have thicker spokes.

Interior Design

A wide, horizontal layout is accompanied by a wraparound design. Real metal accents are also included.

There is subtle lighting beneath the center console. In the rear, the passenger console transforms into a functional table, with available mesh headrests in the first and second rows. The reconfigurable cargo area features a folding luggage table with integrated ruler markings and a removable partition.

The 2027 Telluride features improved interior packaging. Taller dimensions also contribute to increased headroom (up to half an inch more in models equipped with sunroofs).

Colorways like Deep Navy with Tuscan Umber are included, as well as a new Blackberry. For the X models, the interior color palette comes with all-black, deep khaki, or saddle brown tones. Seating surfaces are detailed in a variety of embossed lines and V-shaped motifs.

There are new paint options for the exterior, such as Black, Jade Green, and Terrain Brown (available in both glossy and matte finishes).