Kia is updating its cars with the new redesigned logo all around the globe and in the process giving those four-wheelers some mild update too. Well, next in line is the South Korean automaker’s hot-selling three-row SUV, the Telluride which is getting a similar update with a few nice feature additions.
Kia has not made many changes to the robust muscular design of the Telluride on the outside. The whole body is untouched except on that already assertive front end. The signature “tiger nose” grille now flaunts a blacked-out mesh unlike the chrome of the previous generation model. Another noticeable change in the area is the new KIA badge placed in the centre of the grille. The other spots where the old badge got swapped with the new are above the Telluride script on the tailgate, the wheel centre caps and the steering wheel.
Talking of the steering wheel, let’s get inside the cabin. Kia has introduced more standard equipment on the lower trim levels of the 2022 Telluride. The cheapest members of the range, LX and S variants now replaced the old 8-inch touchscreen, to make space for a larger 10.25-inch unit that was previously standard only on EX models and up. Both trims also gain an automatic climate control system for the front and rear passengers as well as Kia’s Highway Driving Assist technology. S models now offer a wireless device charger, too. All trim levels now gain Navigation Based Smart Cruise Control-Curve, a form of adaptive cruise control that uses navigation data to adjust speed for upcoming bends in the road before returning the vehicle’s speed to the preset level.
The 2022 Telluride has not gone through any mechanical changes and is still powered by the reliable 3.8-litre V6 naturally aspirated engine. This power unit churns out a max of 291 horsepower and 355 Nm (262 lb.-ft) of torque. It is complemented with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The SUV comes with a front-wheel-drive as standard but there’s an optional all-wheel-drive on offer.
The claimed milage figures for the front wheel variant stands at 8.5 km/l (20 mpg) in the city, 11 km/l (26 mpg) on the highway, and 9.8 km/l (23 mpg) combined. On the all-wheel-drive model, these figures drop down to 8.1 km/l (19 mpg), 10.2 km/l (24 mpg), and 8.9 km/l (21 mpg), respectively.
The minorly updated Telluride also commands some slight price bumps. The LX now starts at $34,015 including $1,225 for destination, an increase of $600 over the 2021 model. At $36,515 the S is $700 pricier than the old model while the $39,015 EX and $43,915 SX are both only $200 more than before.
All-wheel drive remains a $2,000 option across the board. And the range-topping SX Prestige, which comes standard with AWD costs $48,115, now actually is $100 cheaper than the 2021 SX Prestige (Great marketing strategy!).
India launch? No words yet from the South Korean automaker. KIA is currently enjoying a good sale from it’s trio – Seltos, Sonet and the Carnival. However, the brand recently announced it will enter an all-new segment in India sometime early next year. So will it be a three row SUV offering in the form of Telluride or will it be a budget version of the extravagant MPV Carnival? Well, hope we figure it out real soon.
