Kia this week officially launched production of the first-ever Telluride Hybrid…and it sees the new package as the opportunity to give a big boost to what has already been one of its biggest hits. If the gas-electric model lives up to expectations it could meant the SUV will triple its original sales expectations. More from Headlight.News.
The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid.
This week brought some big news out of the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. Now in its 16th year of production, the factory rolled out its 5 millionth vehicle. It just happened to be the first 2026 Kia Telluride Hybrid.
First put into production in February 2019 as a 2020 model, the three-row SUV has been a smash hit for Kia. Nicknamed inside the company as the “Selluride,” it quickly exceeded its original market goals, buoyed by positive reviews. Among others things it claimed honors as North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.
Initially expected to generate about 60,000 sales annually, demand more than doubled that last year. And the Korean carmaker thinks there’s room for another 50% increase with the launch of the first ever Telluride Hybrid.
What’s new
A 2027 Kia Telluride rolls down the line at the automaker’s West Point, Georgia assembly plant.
For 2027, the Korean carmaker is back with a second-generation Telluride launching the new 3-row crossover at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November. The 2027 Telluride is 2.3 inches longer than the outgoing model, with a 3-inch stretch of its wheelbase. It gains about an inch in height, as well. Inside, it delivers more head, leg and shoulder room, especially in the third row.
The second-gen design won’t come as a shock to those already familiar with Telluride. But there are a number of notable changes. The grille carries over only the faintest elements of the traditional Kia “tiger nose” grille. It adopts a bolder, more squared-off look, framed by vertical bar headlights, said designer Kurt Kahl, in order to “frame…and sharpen the Telluride’s face feature Kia’s Star Map lighting graphic. The amber-hued DRL lighting returns with this sleeker, more modern expression.”
Arguably the most significant update can be found under the hood, however, with the addition of a first-ever Telluride Hybrid pairing a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four with two electric motors. Power going through a six-speed automatic, the combined output is 329 hp and 339 lb-ft, — enough to tow up 4,000 pounds. By comparison, the carryover 3.5-liter V-6 manages to deliver just 287 hp and 260 lb-ft.
The biggest draw: a combined fuel economy rating of 35 mpg, 13 more than the six-cylinder package.
Winning the Triple Crown
The off-road-oriented 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid X-Pro outside the Georgia plant.
The original Telluride was a hit from word one, generating rave reviews and landing the Triple Crown of awards, including North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, Motor Trend SUV of the Year and one of Car & Driver’s 10 Best.
Landing at a time when demand was surging for three-row SUVs, Kia’s biggest challenge was turning out enough Tellurides to meet demand from the plant in West Point, said Stuart Countess, president & CEO of Kia Georgia. The factory is one of the largest in the U.S., with a capacity of around 360,000 vehicles annually – rolling out a new vehicle every 58 seconds on a schedule running 24 hours a day, five days a week. But it produces a variety of different models, the list today including not only Telluride but Sportage, Sorento and the EV6 and EV9 SUVs.
That has required some changes in production plans to provide more opportunity to meet demand for Telluride.
More Kia News
Great expectations
Kia North America CEO Sean Yoon expects Telluride sales to reach 180,000 this year.
When the original Telluride was launched in February 2019, Kia seriously underestimated demand. It had planned for 60,000 of the SUVs to roll out of the factory each year.
The very first year the figure hit 58,604 even though the SUVs only began to reach U.S. showrooms by spring. The following year the number jumped to 75,129 and has grown every year since, reaching 123,281 Tellurides.
Now, it’s setting its sights even higher. At Tuesday’s rollout, Sean Yoon, the president and CEO of Kia North America, said that, “With the addition of the hybrid version we are upping our target to 180,000.”
If anything, the hybrid could become the dominant package, Countess later said during a small media roundtable. “Our early indications are that consumers are interested in the hybrid.” Though the Georgia plant can quickly shift output to meet demand, Countess said the expectation is that the gas-electric version of the Telluride will account for anywhere from 55 to 58% of demand going forward.
0 Comments