Earlier this year the 2018 Kia Telluride has been showcased as a concept car. This is a crossover larger than the Sorento even though the two share the same underpinnings. While not officially confirmed, it seems that the car may be in fact released on the market. This would be possible thanks to the fact the Genesis brand announced not that long ago that they will make a seven seats crossover. This would allow Kia to develop the car and sell it under the two brands. While it may seem strange at first, there are many manufacturers doing the exact same thing.
Kia’s current large crossover is the Sorento. However, in the past, they also had the Borrego which was quite a bit larger than its sibling. This means that the rumored Telluride would be the spiritual successor to the previously mentioned car. Not much else is known at this point about it but we really do hope that Kia will go through with the design and release it. Why? Well, it is one of the most unusual crossovers to be released recently and we say that in a good way.
2018 KIA TELLURIDE PRICE
There is no word on the price of the car or even its release. We are quite sure though that in order to become successful, the 2018 Kia Telluride would be offered at roughly $35,000. This would be more than the seven seats Santa Fe but the Kia would also get the unique styling and better equipment level. The car is also noticeably larger than the Sorento. The concept is 4.5 inches taller, nearly 10 inches longer and 5 inches wider. This is a huge amount and it shows. The boxy design makes the Telluride look really menacing. The production model will likely not get the 22-inch wheels and the massively flared wheel arches. However, the basic shape and design traits should be kept. The grille will, however, be most likely replaced with Kia’s latest corporate design but the headlights and tail lights should go through.
DESIGN
Like with any other concept, not much can be said about the Telluride. However, the production model should be a bit more impressive. The car will most definitely share some design elements with the Sorento. This will not only allow Kia to keep costs down but it will give people a familiar cabin. The equipment level will likely be on par with any of its more premium rivals but the materials will be slightly under them. Despite that, it should still be a great tradeoff for many.
POWERTRAIN
The concept of the 2018 Kia Telluride uses a hybrid powertrain. This combines a 3.5 liter direct injected V6 with a 130 horsepower electric motor. The total output is unknown but Kia said 30 MPG on the highway should be possible. We are quite sure that the production model will feature nothing like that. Instead, we should see at least a turbocharged mill under its hood. The most probable powertrain would be Hyundai’s 2 liters in-line 4. With the help of direct injection and a large turbocharger, this can easily make 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. In order to satisfy even the most demanding customers, a V6 will be part of the car as well. A 3.3-liter unit is the most likely engine here. This should be capable of offering more than 290 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque and it should be a great replacement for the smaller inline 4. This will be faster and smoother and it should also provide similar fuel efficiency. A manual is unlikely at this point so the car will most likely get to use a six-speed automatic.
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