Kia is doubling down on the one thing American families keep buying: big three-row SUVs. For 2027, the Telluride is expected to grow even larger and swap its gas-only attitude for a turbo-hybrid setup rated at 329 horsepower, an unmistakable shot at heavy hitters like the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Ford Explorer.
The pitch is simple: more space, more shove, fewer fuel stops. Kia isn’t promising a radical redesign, but it is betting that a stronger hybrid powertrain and a roomier cabin will keep the Telluride near the top of shopping lists for parents who want minivan practicality without the minivan label.
A 329-horsepower hybrid powertrain aimed at the segment leaders
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Kia’s headline number is 329 hp, coming from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor. The company’s goal is clear, deliver hybrid efficiency without the sluggish feel that critics sometimes pin on big family crossovers.
All-wheel drive is part of the plan, giving the Telluride the traction buyers expect for snow states, rainy school runs, and the occasional gravel road to a campsite. Kia is trying to thread the needle: keep the muscle families want while signaling a cleaner, more modern drivetrain as emissions rules tighten worldwide.
And that power isn’t just for bragging rights. With a vehicle this size, extra horsepower is the antidote to the weight and bulk that can make some three-row SUVs feel half-asleep when you need to merge, pass, or climb a grade with a full load of passengers.
Bigger exterior, more usable third row, and fewer “punishment seats”
The 2027 Telluride is described as pushing closer to the 5.0-meter mark, about 16.4 feet long, squarely in the full-size-feeling, three-row sweet spot Americans know well. The point of the growth spurt is obvious: more room for kids, teens, strollers, sports gear, and the chaos that comes with them.
Kia is also leaning hard into what matters most in this class: a third row that adults can actually tolerate and a cargo area that doesn’t vanish the moment all seats are in use. The promise is seven to eight genuinely usable seats, helped by sliding and adjustable seating meant to make real-world family logistics less of a daily wrestling match.
The tradeoff, is city life. A longer, wider SUV can turn tight parking garages and crowded downtown streets into a slow-motion stress test. But Kia knows the Telluride doesn’t win by being small, it wins by being the vehicle that makes a weekend trip feel easy.
A crowded battlefield: Highlander, Explorer, Traverse, and a bigger Telluride swinging back
The three-row SUV market is one of the most competitive corners of the U.S. auto business, and Kia is acting like it. The Telluride’s hybrid move is designed to blunt the appeal of established electrified options like the Highlander Hybrid, while also keeping performance in the conversation against rivals such as the Explorer and Chevrolet Traverse.
In showrooms, the fight is increasingly about the total package: powertrain, interior space, tech features, and the long-term ownership pitch. Kia is expected to lean on its reputation for value and strong warranty coverage, pairing it with a design that’s more modern than flashy, built to look at home in a suburban driveway, not a concept-car exhibit.
The bigger question is whether shoppers are ready for yet another supersized SUV, even with hybrid credentials. The Telluride’s real test won’t be a spec sheet, it’ll be stop-and-go traffic, school pickup lines, road trips, and the daily grind that decides which vehicles families actually keep.
