2020 KIA TELLURIDE: THE FUTURE OF AWD OVERLANDING?
The all-new ‘20 KIA Telluride has taken the all-wheel-drive SUV segment by storm. It’s won a host of awards, such as Texas Motorpress Association’s 2019 Off-Road SUV of the Year crown, and the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s 2019 Mudfest Mid- and Full-Size Family category. It has piqued the interest of many. In addition to its accolades, the KIA Telluride was also featured at the
‘18 SEMA (the Specialty Equipment Market Association) show. KIA partnered with Brandon Maxwell, a high-level fashion designer, who’s worked with celebrities like Lady Gaga, to blur the lines between couture fashion and AWD customization to include a one-of-a-kind Telluride in his fashion show during New York’s fashion week.
KIA also showcased four custom-built Tellurides at their off-road driving course, named the Torque Track, during the show. These individualized Tellurides, customized by California’s LGE-CTS Motorsports, had unique off-tarmac capable upgrades—and toured show-goers around the dirt, rock, and log-filled track to give riders a unique experience. We’ve had the chance to drive the ‘20 KIA Telluride at a few events over the last year. From tarmac, gravel, and dirt, to even deep mud and loose sand, we’ve witnessed its bone stock capability first-hand. We’ve been quite impressed. In stock condition, the Telluride exceeds our expectations to Billy goat up steeper inclines, trudge through muddy waters successfully, and even navigate through super tight treelined trails easily with its bird’s eye camera views and obstacle detection system. Add to a stock Telluride smaller 18-inch KIA Sorento wheels and Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires (as evidenced by the Texas Off-Road Invitational event), and it grabs off-pavement terrain even more aggressively. This seven-passenger SUV went everywhere we pointed it. Is the ‘20 KIA Telluride more capable than its AWD competitors like the Honda Pilot or Passport, Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Edge, or even the Volkswagen Atlas? We say yes. The Telluride’s technology, power, agility, and driver’s engagement makes it a winner in our book. During our times with the Telluride, it even successfully traversed milder off-road courses reserved for true four-wheel-drive vehicles. If the Telluride does this well in stock condition, what’s it capable of if modified? Would it handle the rigors that some lesser-equipped 4x4s typically go through? Would it be confident enough to pilot through challenging terrain when searching for the next remote trailhead or traversing over trails in Moab, Utah? We spent some time with Jason Darrah, from Primal Outdoors, and asked him about his customized Telluride. He, along with Ron Tonkin KIA and Wanderlust Overland, recently built up a ‘20 KIA Telluride EX. Since then, Jason certainly put this rig through its paces. He’s learned a lot, experienced a lot, and has loads to share. Lift it, customize it; make it yours.