What's the one essential feature missing from the Telluride?

[3Rivers]

While car shopping last month, I noticed in the forums that many Palisade owners are annoyed by the lack of power-folding mirrors on their vehicle. They seem especially upset that this feature wasn't added as part of the 2023 refresh. Second place on their wish list seems to be fog lights.

Of course, the Telluride has both those coveted features, but is missing other things. Which is the most important? What's the one feature you wished the Telluride offered, but doesn't? I don't mean what may be missing from your personal Telluride; this poll is asking about features that aren't available on any trim, even as an option. And if the feature is coming on the 2023s, it's considered covered, so a fully digital gauge cluster is no longer a missing item. If your pick isn't listed in the poll, please mention it in a comment.

 

[stavesacre03]

While car shopping last month, I noticed in the forums that many Palisade owners are annoyed by the lack of power-folding mirrors on their vehicle. They seem especially upset that this feature wasn't added as part of the 2023 refresh. Second place on their wish list seems to be fog lights.

Of course, the Telluride has both those coveted features, but is missing other things. Which is the most important? What's the one feature you wished the Telluride offered, but doesn't? I don't mean what may be missing from your personal Telluride; this poll is asking about features that aren't available on any trim, even as an option. And if the feature is coming on the 2023s, it's considered covered, so a fully digital gauge cluster is no longer a missing item. If your pick isn't listed in the poll, please mention it in a comment.

Great poll, thanks 3Rivers. I do want to point out that from what I can gather, the MY2023 does have a front hidden tow hook location unlike 2022 and before. For your poll, maybe you meant the full, red-painted tow hooks like you would see on an offroad themed vehicle, but I am thankful it appears to be there on the 2023, even if it is hidden. This was previously a deal breaker for me, as a tow hook is mandatory in snow country like where I live.

 

[3Rivers]

Great poll, thanks 3Rivers. I do want to point out that from what I can gather, the MY2023 does have a front hidden tow hook location unlike 2022 and before. For your poll, maybe you meant the full, red-painted tow hooks like you would see on an offroad themed vehicle, but I am thankful it appears to be there on the 2023, even if it is hidden. This was previously a deal breaker for me, as a tow hook is mandatory in snow country like where I live.

Thanks for the info; I wasn't aware of that. I'm not sure whether a concealed "recovery point" satisfies the tow hook question or not, so I guess poll participants can make up their own minds. There's certainly a difference between having three highly visible open hooks (as on a typical offroad Jeep) vs. just one hidden attachment point. On the other hand, something is surely better than nothing at all.

 

[ceenote]

Me...

Self-parking software​

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[Zachychan]

I voted for the hybrid engine because the below average fuel economy is the major reason I switched my order to a Sportage Hybrid. If the Telluride could get upper 20s MPG from a hybrid assisted engine, then I probably would have stuck with it.

Wireless Apple Carplay would be great too but my current vehicle doesn't even have bluetooth so I'm already used to plugging in my phone anyways.

 

[3Rivers]

Wireless Apple Carplay would be great too but my current vehicle doesn't even have bluetooth so I'm already used to plugging in my phone anyways.

It's hard to appreciate the convenience of full wireless access until you've tried it. I use Android Auto primarily for music. I have 1,000+ of my own albums uploaded to the Google cloud, and I access them via my phone in the car (through YouTube Music, which I have to admit sucks compared to the former Google Play Music). I also have a subscription to Amazon Music. The sound quality of AA is much better than that of a Bluetooth connection, and AA at least provides some rudimentary menuing and voice command access, so you don't have to do everything on the phone itself.

I had wired AA in my Jeep Cherokee for three years, so I too was used to plugging in whenever I wanted/needed to access AA. I didn't do it all the time, precisely because sometimes I didn't want to worry about it, or the cable wasn't there, etc. I was disappointed that the Telluride doesn't have wireless AA, but I figured I'd just continue using a cable when necessary. But I recently purchased a Motorola dongle that enables wireless AA at all times, and it's so much easier. You don't have to think about what to do with your phone when you enter the vehicle. Leave it in your pocket, start the car, and in just a minute or two, AA is connected with no effort on your part. It's always available.

 

[DaveAZ]

I would have to pick a couple from this list.

One would be Wireless Android Auto. When researching the Telluride i was shocked that it did not have this feature, yet the rest of the vehicle won me over. Also that can always be added so on i went.

The one feature that also surprise me was the lack of tow hooks. Most lower end cars have these so WOW. I live and drive in the country so having a way to recover the vehicle if you end up in a ditch or something like that would be great and expected. I think this was a large oversight on Kia's part.

Just to add, one of the features you listed is the power folding seats. After shopping that was one thing that pushed me to the Telluride as i did not like them on the Palisade. I just liked the simplicity of pulling a strap and having the seat fold instantly. Most likely i am in the minority on this one.

 

[3Rivers]

Just to add, one of the features you listed is the power folding seats. After shopping that was one thing that pushed me to the Telluride as i did not like them on the Palisade. I just liked the simplicity of pulling a strap and having the seat fold instantly. Most likely i am in the minority on this one.

I have no problem using the straps. I think some people view power-folding seats as a "luxury" feature that a car is supposed to have once it reaches a certain price point. It's the same with a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The fact that these features are seldom used by most drivers doesn't matter.

I think we are much better off with the power-folding mirrors, because they actually do get used all the time (plus, you can fold them on demand from inside the vehicle when you need to). Between this option and the power-folding third row, I think the Telly got the better deal.

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[Linnyu]

While car shopping last month, I noticed in the forums that many Palisade owners are annoyed by the lack of power-folding mirrors on their vehicle. They seem especially upset that this feature wasn't added as part of the 2023 refresh. Second place on their wish list seems to be fog lights.

Of course, the Telluride has both those coveted features, but is missing other things. Which is the most important? What's the one feature you wished the Telluride offered, but doesn't? I don't mean what may be missing from your personal Telluride; this poll is asking about features that aren't available on any trim, even as an option. And if the feature is coming on the 2023s, it's considered covered, so a fully digital gauge cluster is no longer a missing item. If your pick isn't listed in the poll, please mention it in a comment.

Dual exhaust would be cool.

 

[veloduffer]

Hybrid engine would be great. I had a 48-volt electric hybrid motor on a Mercedes GLE 450, which not only helped with gas mileage but kept everything (climate control, entertainment, etc) running when the engine shutdown. It provided seamless power at start before transitioning to the ICE. Also, no need for starter, belts, etc. and it was regenerative (braking).

 

[2020Telly]

If you are using the word essential . . . everything on that list is a luxury item except for tow hooks which I view as essential on an SUV of this size with all the plastic on the frontend. None of the other features on that list (including a more powerful engine or more AWD drive modes) will get you out of a situation undamaged where you are stuck on the side of the road. Oh, 2023 Kia Telluride has tow hooks in the front.

 

[3Rivers]

Oh, 2023 Kia Telluride has tow hooks in the front.

We discussed that possibility in posts #2 & 3 above.

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[NDBlackEX]

Not listed: iPod compatibility and voice activated control of the stereo like a sync system.

 

[3Rivers]

Not listed: iPod compatibility and voice activated control of the stereo like a sync system.

If my iPod were still functional, I might have listed that. But its heyday was a couple of cars ago. I had a Ford Escape that did indeed enable me to get direct access to my entire 80GB iPod with on-screen "My Ford Touch" menus (the name given to early Sync display systems). That was great. But my digital music collection outgrew the iPod, and then the device started to sputter out anyway, so I don't miss being able to connect with it in my current vehicles. As I mentioned in post #6, I uploaded everything to the Google cloud.

Since Apple has discontinued the iPod, I suppose it's considered far too much of a "legacy" system for any auto maker to suddenly add support for it now.

 

[FeGee3]

Interesting post, thanks for putting it out there. I voted for wireless AA because I literally cannot get any cord to work for AA in my Telly. Bought the Motorola adapter and it has basically fixed the problem for me. Otherwise I would love to have the Hybrid option, especially with todays gasoline prices. Overall I am in love with my Telly... hence why I bought it

 

[3Rivers]

Interesting post, thanks for putting it out there.

The forum needs more content that is about the pleasures and pains of ownership rather than the anxieties of ordering and purchasing.

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[Tellthemride]

kept everything (climate control, entertainment, etc) running when the engine shutdown.

The Telluride keeps all these running with ISG activated as well. Unless you mean with the electric motor, the fan speed was maintained on high speeds and the AC compressor stays on.

 

[NDBlackEX]

I'm stuck with this when i don't want to take the time to set up my Bluetooth, open a music app, figure out what i want to listen to... Now, they actually added the capability to make a playlist on the infotainment screen by checking boxes of artists or albums you want. But, when you turn the car off, it doesn't save it. It ends up only playing the artist or album it was playing when you shut the car off. I had a cheap jeep cherokee as a rental once and it let me play an iPod and AA at the same time.

I've probably driven 20+ newer models of vehicles in the past few years and the Telluride is the only thing I couldn't plug my iPod into. I didn't bother as the Sedona I test drove worked with my iPod so i figured it was automatic. (Why wouldn't it be?) It really ticked me off when I bought it. So much so, I was going to exchange it for an Odyssey but they didn't have a blue Elite in their dealership group.

Apple now gets $10 a month from me for Apple Music which is worthless on AA so I have to control it via my phone. They limit what you can do through the infotainment center in the name of safety... So I guess I'll just mess around with my phone while I'm driving rather than pushing a button and just telling the car what I want to hear like most other cars do. Yes, I'm triggered haha.

 

[3Rivers]

I had a cheap jeep cherokee as a rental once and it let me play an iPod and AA at the same time.

I've had two fairly expensive Jeep Cherokees (a 2018 and a 2019), and neither one would connect with an iPod at all. Plug it in with a cable, and you get nothing but a "Not recognized" alert. A plain USB drive would work, but not my iPod. I just switched to the phone permanently.

As for your music subscription, just drop Apple Music and go with Amazon Music instead. It's perfectly compatible with Android Auto, either wired or wireless. I used to be a big iTunes user, but once every music ecosystem started moving away from locally hosted digital files to streaming services (by subscription or just cloud-hosted files), I realized that as an Android user, I had to go with something that worked with my phone.

 

[3Rivers]

With 55 votes cast so far, the only feature receiving no support at all is, "More AWD drive modes." I probably should have listed "Air suspension" instead; there's probably a greater constituency for that. Personally, I don't believe that the Telluride needs more drive modes; Snow and the AWD Lock seem sufficient to me for rough conditions. I've heard suggestions that Mud or Sand should be added, but I think they'd probably be redundant. How different could they be? The Telly doesn't have a separate low range, or a locking or limited-slip rear differential.