You can either do it or get some accessories to make this crossover eight-seater more rugged.
Before its debut at the Detroit Auto Show this week, the Kia Telluride was seen at New York Fashion Week as well as at SEMA. The large and powerful crossover was equipped with a variety of rugged accessories that gave us an idea of what an off-road-oriented version would look like. NAIAS revealed that the Telluride production-ready model doesn’t include these extras. However, Kia has not ruled out the possibility of offering an off-road-ready version.
In an interview with Motor Trend, Tom Kearns, the 2020 Kia Telluride designer, stated that the company wants to offer the same goodies as we saw last November at the four concepts presented at SEMA.
Kearns stated that “I cannot really speak to it right now” but added, “But we’re definitely interested, either for trim levels or accessories in the near future, in something along these lines.”
The Telluride models in the photo gallery are both black and orange. They were first shown in Las Vegas. Horizon Roamer was the owner of the latter. Additional features such as a custom brush guard and skid plate, snorkel and LED light bar, as well as chunky mud terrain tires, reflect the adventurous side to the large crossover.
In a similar vein, America’s chief operational officer Michael Cole told Motor Trend that the company’s flagship SUV would only be available with the 3.8-liter, V6 engine. It produces 291 horsepower and 262 pounds-feet (355 Newton meters) of torque. The Stinger’s twin-turbo, 3.3-liter V6 engine produces a hefty 365 horsepower and 376 lbft (510 Nm) of torque. This means that Kia’s largest vehicle will not be equipped with the Stinger’s twin turbo 3.3-liter V6.
The Kia Telluride is scheduled to go on sale in the next year. It will be made at West Point, Georgia, where the Optima, Sorento and other vehicles also live.