Paul Hughes with the 2020 Kia Telluride in Calgary.Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia Thanks to large-and-in-charge chrome letters that spell out TELLURIDE across the hood and the tailgate, theres no mistaking this new three-row Kia SUV for any other vehicle. However, a friend of Calgary reviewer Paul Hughes said he thought the brand-new 2020 Telluride looked like a smaller version of Cadillacs Escalade.I think thats something of a compliment, Hughes says, and adds, I think the Telluride is really stylish, and a very cool looking vehicle. Walking up to it, its not as tall as Id expected; it was more car like than truck like.Kia first showed off its Telluride as a concept vehicle in 2016 and then introduced the production version earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show. Its a big, family hauler set to compete with the likes of the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Nissan Pathfinder.The Telluride shares its platform with the also-new Hyundai Pallisade, and in Canada, the vehicle is available in three trims EX, SX and SX Limited. The base EX is well-equipped, and SX adds features including 20-inch alloy wheels, dual sunroof, Harmon/Kardon premium sound system and leather seats. Depending on how its trimmed out, the Telluride is capable of carrying either seven or eight passengers. Every model is equipped with all-wheel drive and power comes from a normally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. There are four selectable drive modes, including Comfort, Eco, Sport and Smart. And, the AWD system can be configured for Snow, Mud or Sand. Getting into the Ebony black-on-black leather SX model Hughes was testing, he says he was most impressed with the quality of the hides covering the seats, including the 10-way power adjustable drivers chair. The rest of the cockpit was well laid out, in his opinion, and he liked the size of the infotainment screen and the gauge cluster.The cockpit portion of the dash had the tach and speedometer on opposite sides of the centre display which contained loads of information, he says. There was no obstruction of the speedometer no matter where I set the telescoping steering wheel.The centre storage console featured a shelf and was not just a big milk crate stuck in the vehicle. It offered plenty of storage space, and there were nooks and cubbies throughout the Telluride. It sounds simple, but Hughes was also impressed with the cupholders that were spring loaded to accommodate the smallest to the largest cups.There were really nice accents on the dash, almost like a dark grey, weathered barn wood, Hughes says. It made the inside very stylish, and very sophisticated.That 3.8L V6 engine was no slouch. Hughes says he drove the Telluride to Banff and back, claiming the powerplant wasnt noisy. The engine always got the vehicle smartly up to speed (and sometimes easily beyond the limit), and it ran very smoothly.On that Banff journey, the engine returned 10.1L/100km. During the week-long test drive, Hughes drove the Telluride mostly in Comfort mode. The eight-speed transmission shifted smoothly, with near imperceptible shift points. Incredibly quiet, with very little wind or road noise, is how Hughes describes the overall cabin experience. He also feels the Telluride is packed with innovative features, including the Talk Now function.He says, Touch the screen where indicated and the music from the very impressive Harmon/Kardon sound system was suppressed. A microphone then picks up your voice and transmits it through the speakers in the vehicle which allows you to speak at a normal level to passengers in the second and third rows without having to raise your voice.One feature he didnt like was the auto stop/start system.Maybe Im old school, he says, but I dont like it when a car shuts off at a stop sign or a red light. Its the lurch that happens when you take your foot off the brake, I just dont like it.In all driving conditions, Hughes says the Telluride cornered well with very little body lean. In parking lots, he says the large SUV handled more like a sedan with a tight turning radius than a big truck.The Telluride was well suspended and offered a smooth, comfortable ride.As a dog owner, Hughes is always transporting his Labrador Retriever in a large kennel. If the 915mm deep by 635mm wide by 711mm tall kennel wont fit in the cargo area, its a deal breaker. In the Telluride, with 1,304L of cargo capacity behind the second-row seats, it fit with room to spare. Speaking of capacities, Kia rates the Telluride as capable of towing up to 5,000lbs.Itd be great for anyone who needed the cargo space, or for a large family, Hughes says of the Telluride. It really could be construed to be the cool vehicle to drive as opposed to a minivan.He concludes, Anyone shopping in this large SUV category would be remiss if they didnt look at the Kia. I loved everything about it, its very functional and I wouldnt be
Origin: Reader Review: 2020 Kia Telluride SX