While Toyota continues to be America’s undisputed hybrid vehicle sales leader, Kia has also been capitalizing on the hybrid boom. The Korean carmaker keeps setting U.S. sales records courtesy of its growing hybrid lineup, which now also includes the flagship Telluride. After spending a week with it, I’m convinced this is the best Telluride yet.
It’s smoother, quicker, and more efficient than the first-gen model. With the engine now paired with a small battery and a pair of electric motors, the Telluride Hybrid makes more horsepower and torque while burning far less fuel. It’s also bigger inside and out, with a sharper, boxier design that suits it well. As three-row hybrid SUVs go, the Telluride is about as good as they get.
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There’s just one problem. Kia already builds something even better. The all-electric three-row EV9 is better packaged, even more refined, and delivers a far better driving experience. But the EV9 costs substantially more than the Telluride Hybrid, which makes the hybrid SUV the better value among the two.
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Source: Suvrat Kothari
[Full Disclosure: Kia loaned me the Telluride Hybrid for a week in New York City for this road test and paid for fuel and tolls.]
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Design
The old model’s rounded corners have given way to sharper, more upright lines that make the hybrid SUV look boxier and more imposing. There’s even a hint of Range Rover in the way the creases wrap around the taillamps.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
Most trims get a glossy grille, but my SX Prestige X-Line tester came with a rugged mesh-style design. It gets a squared-off lower bumper, black wheel arch cladding, skid plates at both ends, and raised roof rails, all of which give it a more commanding stance. The 21-inch gloss black wheels wrapped in 265/45 Kumho tires fit the squared-off design well. In a market where buyers want their SUVs to project confidence, the Telluride absolutely looks the part.
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Powertrain And Performance
The first-generation Telluride’s thirsty 3.8-liter V6 is replaced by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a parallel hybrid system. It gets a 1.65-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and a pair of electric motors. Kia claims this latest-generation hybrid system is more powerful and more efficient than the 1.6-liter turbo hybrid powertrain on the Sorento and Sportage.
Instead of using a belt-driven electric motor mounted outside the transmission, Kia has now integrated both motors inside the transmission to eliminate frictional losses. It also replaced the engine-driven alternator and A/C compressor with electrically powered ones, further improving efficiency. The e-motor itself is thinner and more power-dense than before, opening up room for a new dual-spring transmission damper to better absorb vibrations.
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Specifications
As-Tested Price
$61,180 including destination and options
Base Price
$48,035
Engine
2.5 liter 4-cyl turbocharged
Transmission
6-speed automatic
Battery
1.65 kilowatt-hours lithium ion
Motor
Two electric motors
Output
329 horsepower combined
Maximum torque
339 pound-feet of torque combined
Seating Capacity
6-seater
Drive Type
All-wheel drive
Cargo Volume
47.7 cu ft behind second row, 21.3 cu ft behind third row
Ground clearance
7.4 inches
The combined output on the hybrid is 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, up 38 hp and 77 lb-ft over the first-gen model. Power goes to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a non-hybrid Telluride costing about $7,000 less, but it’s also less powerful with just 274 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque.
Out in the real world, a gentle squeeze of the throttle sends the Telluride forward with urgency, thanks to the instant torque from the electric motors. That initial rush of torque fades as the gas engine kicks in, after which power delivery is smooth but unremarkable. The hybrid system masks that 5,000-pound curb weight, making highway speeds pretty effortless.
There’s no EV-style shove-in-the-back response beyond that initial surge, but it doesn’t need one. The linear power delivery feels better suited to the Telluride. Around town, the electric motors constantly harvest energy from braking to drive mostly in EV mode. That made navigating New York City’s narrow streets surprisingly easy. On the highway, the Telluride felt brisk and comfortable.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
I observed 30 miles per gallon in highway-heavy driving in Sport mode, which really isn’t terrible for something with the aerodynamic prowess of a refrigerator. Even though that’s lower than the EPA’s 35 mpg combined rating, you could squeeze more out of it with a lighter foot and Eco mode. The non-hybrid Telluride is rated for 20 mpg combined only. If you get anywhere close to the EPA rating, the Telluride Hybrid can go over 600 miles on a single tank of fuel.
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Ride And Handling
The Telluride gets what Kia calls Electrification-Vehicle Motion Control (E-VMC), which optimizes torque output from the e-motors to reduce vertical movement over bumps, minimize body roll in corners, and control pitch and dive under acceleration and braking. This kind of motor-based chassis tuning is pretty standard in EVs, but it’s interesting to see automakers now using e-motors to do the same in hybrids.
Out on open roads, the Telluride delivers the kind of soft, supple ride you’d expect from a large family SUV. It absorbs potholes and road imperfections with ease, and even sharper bumps rarely send harsh impacts into the cabin. I noticed some fore-and-aft rocking, which is expected from a nearly 5,000-pound, high-riding SUV. None of it felt unsettling or poorly controlled.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
The NVH levels impressed me even more. Kia has added triple door seals, thicker door glass, and sound-deadening films in the front and rear windshields. That results in an exceptionally quiet cabin, with just enough wind and road noise filtering through to keep the experience feeling natural. Even at 80 miles per hour, the Telluride maintains the kind of low noise levels you’d expect from a more premium SUV. After hours in the car, I felt little fatigue.
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Stay Mode
Kia is making smart use of the electric hardware with another EV-inspired feature: Stay Mode. Stay Mode is similar to Utility Mode on the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9, using the high-voltage battery for the climate, media, seats and lighting without the engine running. But unlike an EV, the Telluride doesn’t have a massive battery pack to keep these systems running for hours. Kia’s workaround is still clever.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
Stay Mode uses navigation data to ensure the 1.65 kWh battery maintains a high state of charge when you arrive at your destination. It only works with the vehicle’s built-in navigation, not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. After turning it on, the battery powered in-vehicle features for about an hour and 10 minutes. I ran the A/C at a low fan speed, enjoyed the massaging driver’s seat, and blasted music. But run the A/C at full speed and the usable time from the battery halves to 30 minutes. Either way, if the kids are taking too long at soccer practice, you can comfortably wait in the car without idling the engine.
Once the battery is depleted, the vehicle just cycles between the engine and battery power like any other hybrid. But the ability to intentionally manage the hybrid battery’s state of charge is a genuinely useful feature. Other than Hyundai and Kia, I haven’t seen this system in any other regular hybrid in the U.S., not even in a Toyota.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
Hyundai Motor Group’s hybrid system is also capable of vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality to power external appliances using the household power outlet in the cabin, but a Kia spokesperson told InsideEVs that the Telluride Hybrid doesn’t get V2L just yet. Enabling V2L would have meant additional complexity, including hardware and software for what the automaker said was limited added capability. You still get a three-pin power outlet in the trunk though, but that’s powered of off the smaller 12V battery.
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Interior And Technology
The Telluride’s cabin is cavernous and modern. I found the suede-trimmed seats slightly firm for my taste, but they have excellent bolstering and are high quality. You’d want to call dibs on the second-row captains’ chairs because those are the best seats in the house. The legroom is ample, they have heating and ventilation, and the large windows and panoramic glass roof let in plenty of natural light and offer an expansive view of the outside world.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
With one touch, the captain’s chairs fold and move forward, allowing easy access to the third row, where two average-sized adults can sit comfortably. Taller passengers will feel a squeeze here. Both the second- and third-row seats fold flat, opening up 47.7 cu ft of room behind the second row and 21.3 cu ft behind the third row.
The 12.3-inch central screen is crisp and responsive, and driving information is neatly laid out on the similarly sized digital gauge cluster. The circular blind view monitor, which appears on the gauge cluster when you activate your blinker, is one of my favorite features in Kia models. It gives you a great view of approaching vehicles in the blind spot close to your natural line of sight, complementing the side mirrors really well.
The press car also got an over-the-air software update during my test, which added Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars display themes. I did not end up using any of them, because the standard layout was far easier to read.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
You can’t really see the climate functions because they’re hidden on a smaller display that’s crammed between the two larger screens. From my position, it was blocked by the steering wheel, making it frustrating to use. Although I do appreciate physical controls for the temperature, fan speeds, and volume, which were easy to use.
The ambient lighting also gets very bright, almost making it feel like a mini lounge. But it’s never distracting, as it dims when you shift into drive. The interior has a few quirks, but it nails what matters most in a three-row family SUV, which is space, comfort, and amenities. It’s a practical family hauler with an upscale feel.
2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid: Verdict
Things get a bit muddy here, so bear with me.
Starting at $48,035 including destination, the Telluride Hybrid lands right around the average transaction price for a new vehicle in the U.S. My fully loaded X-Line SX Prestige AWD tester came in at $61,180 with destination. Its closest rivals are the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and the mechanically identical Hyundai Palisade Hybrid. The Palisade starts about $2,300 lower, while the Grand Highlander costs nearly the same as the Telluride.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
The big question is whether the hybrid premium is worth it over the gas-only model, and whether the premium for the all-electric three-row EV9 is worth it over the hybrid. The Telluride Hybrid costs $7,300 more than the gas-only model, but $8,000 less than the EV9, which starts at $56,545. How quickly you recover that upfront premium will depend heavily on local gas prices, where you charge, electricity rates, and how much you drive.
The EV9 is substantially more refined, better packaged, and more enjoyable to drive than the Telluride Hybrid. Try the EV9 and the Telluride Hybrid will feel like an iPhone 8 in an iPhone 17 era. Such is the absurdly large delta between the overall experience of a combustion engine and a competent all-electric powertrain.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
Then again, that advantage comes at a price. You can compare the costs yourself with the U.S. Department of Energy’s vehicle cost calculator to estimate how long-term costs might pan out. In my case, living in New York, they don’t. The calculator estimated that it would take roughly 15 years for the EV9 to break even against the Palisade Hybrid in total ownership costs. [The DOE hasn’t added model year 2027 cars yet, so I used the mechanically similar Hyundai for the comparison.]
So if you’re shopping for a three-row hybrid SUV around the $50,000 mark, the Telluride Hybrid is easy to recommend. It’s capacious, comfortable, and efficient with some genuinely useful EV-inspired features. Until EVs reach true price parity with gas-powered models, there remains a strong case for hybrids, especially larger ones like the Telluride. EVs will someday be the default answer in this segment, but until that happens, enjoy the hybrid boom while it lasts.
Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
