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Last year of the current body style (applies to 2020–2025 models)
- Second row amenities include ceiling vents, sunshades and USBs.
- Best in class second row leg room. Makes for comfortable passengers and great for rear facing carseats.
- Competitive trunk space with additional hidden storage beneath.
The Exterior
The Kia Telluride's exterior immediately grabbed my attention with its bold, upscale design that still feels rugged enough for weekend adventures with the kids.
First Row
The interior is one of the Telluride’s biggest strengths.
The light interior option is absolutely stunning, with:
- Faux wood trim
- Soft-touch materials throughout
- A clean, modern layout that still feels intuitive
One downside: the door cubbies are pretty shallow, which isn’t ideal for families who carry a lot of stuff. But overall, the cabin feels upscale and thoughtfully designed.
You get a 12.3-inch infotainment display paired with a digital instrument cluster. While they aren’t technically one continuous screen, the black trim gives it a seamless look that feels very premium.
I love that Kia kept physical buttons on the Telluride (Kia did not do this on the Carnival and it is my biggest complaint with that van!):
- Separate volume and climate controls
- Heated steering wheel
- Heated & ventilated seats
- Wireless charging
- Multiple USB-C ports
And yes — four cup holders within driver reach. My dream come true!
Second Row
This is where the Telluride separates itself.
- Second-row legroom: 42.4 inches
- (Grand Highlander: 39.5 inches)
Those inches matter — especially with rear-facing car seats.
Even with a baseless infant seat installed, I (at nearly 6 feet tall) had excellent legroom. Adults are comfortable here, kids have space to grow, and the amenities are fantastic:
- Built-in sunshades
- Ceiling air vents (huge for kids in car seats)
- Seat-back storage and charging ports
If you have older kids riding primarily in the second row, you do not need to jump to a full-size SUV for space alone.
The Telluride is available in both a bench seat or captain's chairs... I am usually Team Bench — but not in the Telluride.
🚫 Skip the bench seat entirely.
Why?
- Severe seatbelt overlap
- Three-across is not possible
- The bench is only available on the lowest trim
The captain’s chairs are the right choice. Period.
There are lower anchors and tether anchors in both captains chairs so you can safely put two rear or forward facing car seats in the second row. In the third row there is one set of lower anchors on the driver’s side so you could put two rear-facing car seats back there either using the seat belts or one using the lower anchors. There are also 2 tether anchors in the third row, but the 2 tether anchors are next to each other and the middle seat is super narrow so really there is only room for one forward facing car seat in the third row. This means you can fit at most 3 forward facing car seats in this car. Another thing to note, is this car does not have the car seat tilt so if you have the bench seat with rear facing car seats on either outboard seat there is no way to get to the third row.
Third Row
To get to the third row of this Kia Telluride you have a few options. Either you can shimmy in between the captain chairs if there aren’t rear facing car seats in the way or you can press one of two buttons on the second row seats—either at the top of the seat or on the bottom, which is great so older kids can get in and out of the car by themselves at grade school drop off. The Telluride has one of the roomiest third rows and I could sit all the way back here for a long road trip and be comfortable. But 3 people cannot fit back here. The middle seat is basically nonexistent. It is 5.5” wide, which doesn’t fit anything. Can’t fit a human, can’t fit a car seat, can’t fit a booster seat. But, this is not to harp on Kia. I still think this is a great family car but want you to know this is a 6 passenger car—just ignore the middle seat in the third row.
Trunk
Mid size SUVs always disappoint when it comes to the trunk space, but the Kia Telluride does not. There is extra space in the floor that can be separated to throw in gear that you always want handy like blankets, diapers or wipes, or you can open it up to fit something larger. The Uppababy Vista stroller fits well even without the extra floor space. If you’re looking for more trunk space you’re going to either need a minivan or a larger SUV like the Expedition, Suburban or Wagoneer, which is going to give you about twice as much room.
Safety
The 2024 Kia Telluride is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. It comes with an extensive standard safety with Kia's Drive Wise suite, including Forward Collision-Avoidance, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, plus optional features like Surround View Monitor and Blind Spot View Monitor on higher trims.
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