Self-Leveling Suspension

[2020Telly]

Those were the measurements after I traveled about 8 miles withthe loads. Did 2 separate trips.

So with just 160-350lbs and after 8 miles you still had a drop of up to 1”? I thought the point was to counteract the weight to lift the rear to normal drive height? This feels like a great solution for a touring motorcycle but I wouldn’t put handlebars on my Telluride to replace the steering wheel.

Without the self leveling suspension and no weight in the back I added at least 160lbs in tongue weight while towing nearly 1,650lbs and saw no drop in height with the standard shocks.

Self-Leveling Suspension

Not sure if I am right or not but...from what I have gleaned on the leveling.... This is not an Air system. In order for it to "level" you have to drive it a short distance for the fluid in the shock to actually begin to "adjust". My understanding is that this shock system is similar to Volvo...

tellurideforum.org

Anyone still think that self-leveling shocks belong in a tow package?

 

[Wee]

So with just 160-350lbs and after 8 miles you still had a drop of up to 1”? I thought the point was to counteract the weight to lift the rear to normal drive height? This feels like a great solution for a touring motorcycle but I wouldn’t put handlebars on my Telluride to replace the steering wheel.

Without the self leveling suspension and no weight in the back I added at least 160lbs in tongue weight while towing nearly 1,650lbs and saw no drop in height with the standard shocks.

Self-Leveling Suspension

Not sure if I am right or not but...from what I have gleaned on the leveling.... This is not an Air system. In order for it to "level" you have to drive it a short distance for the fluid in the shock to actually begin to "adjust". My understanding is that this shock system is similar to Volvo...

tellurideforum.org

Anyone still think that self-leveling shocks belong in a tow package?

do you have a photo of this?

I'm hard pressed to believe the self-leveling setup would be a poor choice on behalf of the Hyundai/Kia engineers. This isn't the type of thing companies just throw on a vehicle to try and squeeze extra profits out of (imo)

 

[2020Telly]

do you have a photo of this?

I'm hard pressed to believe the self-leveling setup would be a poor choice on behalf of the Hyundai/Kia engineers. This isn't the type of thing companies just throw on a vehicle to try and squeeze extra profits out of (imo)

I did not take a photo when I had the mulch on the trailer, but I didn't think to because there was no change. I did take photos and posted pictures with a yardstick to this forum when I had a cargo carrier on the roof and cargo basket hanging off the hitch and there was a pronounced drop with my standard shocks. The science with these more expensive self-leveling shocks is that they don't really activate if the weight is behind them when towing, they activate when the weight is over them.

I'm not trying to argue that the self-leveling shocks don't give you a bouncier more comfy ride if you can apply pressure right over them vs the stiffer OEM Mando shocks and struts. But if you look at it the Hyundai Palisade and the Kia Telluride being sold over seas, the Engineers in those instances are not passing this off as a towing package feature. They are adding it as a ride comfort feature. But bouncier doesn't mean better, it doesn't mean more affordable, and it certainly doesn't mean safer. To me that means the value is diminished.

The way I see it, there is a trade off, buy these self-leveling shocks now and you might get a cushier ride when you add passengers or cargo, but it sounds like it is not an equivalent to air bag systems that bring you back to ride height.

When I hear towing package I hear two things: 1. adding this I will get more towing capacity or 2. adding this I will get a safer towing experience. Neither of these is the case with the Telluride.

With my standard shocks I can tow more safely because I can configure a weight distribution system properly to distribute weight to the front axle without having to worry about activating the shocks to drive height when parked while I try to level the hitch height with the trailer.

The self-leveling shocks cost more to replace and require OEM replacements from Kia vs. standard shocks that are available anywhere and are much more affordable.

For under $200 I can add air spring helper bags to the struts that will self level side-to-side because it is air based and while it requires manual air pressure filling and checking, it will likely extend the life of my standard shocks while giving me the normal drive height when towing safely and a safe way to configure weight distribution systems.

If I spend a little more I can add an electric air compressor and even toss in a automatic leveling contoller.

If I want to go top of the line I can get some plates welded and add some air bags and make it float like a Cadillac and haul like a truck.

Either way all the above might end up costing me less by the time I get to 100,000 miles. The argument that the self-leveling feature adds to resale just means when you sell your Telluride to the next buyer you are selling them expensive suspension components that will need replacing.

These systems were designed for motorcycles and station wagons. Adding them to SUVs and saying it's an upgraded suspension is sort of a cheap alternative to air bag systems.

 

[alexdrums]

do you have a photo of this?

I'm hard pressed to believe the self-leveling setup would be a poor choice on behalf of the Hyundai/Kia engineers. This isn't the type of thing companies just throw on a vehicle to try and squeeze extra profits out of (imo)

I actually think that’s exactly what it is. People love saying they ordered or got the Tow “Package”. The Tow “Hitch” just doesn’t have the same kind of ring, even though it is much cheaper and probably all that is necessary.

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[2020Telly]

I actually think that’s exactly what it is. People love saying they ordered the Tow “Package”. The Tow “Hitch” just doesn’t have the same kind of ring, even though it is much cheaper and probably all that is necessary.

I agree. This sounds like some Marketing folks asked the Engineers if they could come up with something that sounded like the Telluride was more rugged and charge for it. But this does not sound like something that an Engineer would want to say proudly "I did that!".

 

[Wee]

I just checked the Manual on page 7-10 and it doesn’t appear that the shocks and struts fall under the normal maintenance schedule other than to inspect and if necessary, adjust, correct, clean or replace as part of the suspension all the way up to 112,000 mi.

Normally shocks wear out and you notice a pronounced lean or sag. With the Nivomats, from some Chrysler minivan and Dodge Durango forums, people reported the fluid leaking at about 50,000 mi. But I really think it comes down to a number of factors like weather and usage before you have to replace them. But when the time comes the difference could be 5x more than standard and could cost as much or more than an air bag upgrade. Air bag systems date back to a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado so they’ve been around a while. I think Nivomats were first introduced on some BMW touring motorcycles in the 1970s and then the French tried them on Citroens followed by Volvo, GM, Chrysler, and others on family haulers as a substitute for air bag systems, so they have been around a little while. The basic difference is that the Nivomats are self contained and use movement of the vehicle create their own pressure/energy to raise the vehicle vs air bags and air lines where you add air and they self level by distributing pressurized air. But in order to be self contained systems, like the Nivomats are, they have more internal mechanisms that could fail. Chances are with harder use and worse extreme weather they are more likely to wear out or fail.

The Kia Telluride and Dodge Durango appear to be the only vehicles that advertise these Nivomats shocks as part of a towing feature and in my opinion that is a misrepresentation of the real convenience benefit. One disclaimer is that the Durango is sold as RWD or AWD so the rear suspension may work harder than the Telluride since the Telluride is a FWD based vehicle. If you plan to haul a lot that could push down on the rear axle they may help you and would be a nice benefit. But if you end up spending $900 to replace them sooner you might be just as well off with decent standard shocks and struts and an aftermarket air bag system that does have a more clear towing advantage.

Not saying you're wrong about how the tech works, but the units Kia and Hyundai are using for the self-leveling suspension offering are provided by Mando and not Sachs Nivomats. I haven't been able to do enough research yet to see if there is a big difference from brand to the next in this type of monotube, just pointing out they are not Nivomats from Sachs

 

[2020Telly]

Not saying you're wrong about how the tech works, but the units Kia and Hyundai are using for the self-leveling suspension offering are provided by Mando and not Sachs Nivomats. I haven't been able to do enough research yet to see if there is a big difference from brand to the next in this type of monotube, just pointing out they are not Nivomats from Sachs

Regardless of the brand they are both self-leveling shocks that utilize the movement of the vehicle bouncing to pump up the fluid. The idea of an upgraded suspension is to lift your vehicle to counteract the drop when you add weight and to balance the car as you sway side to side down the road. I don't think there is as much difference between the two. I could just be that Mando secured licensing rights from ZF Sachs to manufacture the same technology as the Nivomats.

All I know is what I have heard from Teluride owners, the sag is still there and when the car is stopped it drops. That tells me it reacts the same as the Nivomats. So this is not an upgraded suspension like an air bag system or something like Cadillac's Magnetic Ride Control. It's mechanical and self contained like those that go on motorcycles.

Isn't the whole point of the suspension to maintain the ride height? We just saw in the previous post that the owner reported after adding 350lbs and driving off for 8 miles there was still a drop of 1". So either the shocks didn't activate after 8 miles or they are just to make it feel bouncier? I add about 540lbs and saw a 1 7/8" drop with my standard shocks.

Is The Towing Package Worth It?

Thank you NCTelly and Frankie for your very kind and generous comments. I feel more confident than I did before that the Telluride will handle a teardrop trailer like the Rpod for my kind of camping. I don't even have the Rpod yet, I'm still researching to be sure whatever tow vehicle I get...

tellurideforum.org

For shocks that cost more to begin with and more to replace I would expect them to work much better than the standard shocks, not just minimally better.

 

[Serpens]

They certainly aren't there to make the ride more bouncy and they benefit the offer shouldn't be stopped once the car stops moving, as that's not how they work. Can't speak with certainty on the Telluride application, but normally Nivomats take 25%-35% of the spring duties, with the actual coil spring taking the rest. They effectively calm the ride of a loaded car. Their ability to smooth out rapid oscillations is why they were originally included on Dodge Chargers (to combat wheel hop) and are still included in police Chargers.

______________________________

 

[2020Telly]

They certainly aren't there to make the ride more bouncy and they benefit the offer shouldn't be stopped once the car stops moving, as that's not how they work. Can't speak with certainty on the Telluride application, but normally Nivomats take 25%-35% of the spring duties, with the actual coil spring taking the rest. They effectively calm the ride of a loaded car. Their ability to smooth out rapid oscillations is why they were originally included on Dodge Chargers (to combat wheel hop) and are still included in police Chargers.

Dodge Chargers aren’t typically towing horse trailers either.

 

[Serpens]

Dodge Chargers aren’t typically towing horse trailers either.

Dodge Durango’s do and also use Nivomat shocks.

 

[2020Telly]

Dodge Durango’s do and also use Nivomat shocks.

And there are Durango owners that complain about how the shocks don’t help them with towing.

 

[Serpens]

And there are Durango owners that complain about how the shocks don’t help them with towing.

I have absolutely not seen that as a common issue on the Durango forums I’m part of and I towed an airstream for 3 years with one. Most of the time I just saw threads like this one where people were confused as to how they worked. Mine sagged about ~1” more than unloaded.

Actually, I will post one caveat. If your trailer exceeds the tongue weight the car is rated for (720lbs for a Durango) you can definitely expect serious sag. I did see posts about that.

______________________________

 

[2020Telly]

I have absolutely not seen that as a common issue on the Durango forums I’m part of and I towed an airstream for 3 years with one. Most of the time I just saw threads like this one where people were confused as to how they worked.

How did you configure the weight distribution system? It’s all good I’m glad you like the shocks. They aren’t for me.

At 4min 20sec in the video below the guy (who appears to be an installer for a camper dealer) starts talking about the self leveling shocks on the Durango. He measures the squat after hooking up the trailer and the weight distribution then he drives around and remeasures to find it dropped rather than it raising the back end like an air bag system might when towing. (I think that’s because he expected them to activate when just towing with no weight over the back seats.) The problem I see is how many people ask their kids to sit patiently in the back while they load up all their cargo in the SUV then proceed to hook up their travel trailer? He is configuring the weight distribution, anti sway and brake release all without cargo. Even if he has the hitch level, once he adds the weight to the back with passengers and cargo if it makes the self leveling actually rise instead of drop then the hitch may no longer be level. But based on the video it looks like the tongue weight alone brought down the self leveling shocks and didn’t allow them to work so it gives the appearance that they could not work when trailer towing.

When I tow with standard shocks the squat is what it is. When it is parked and fully loaded I’m not expecting it to drop any more when I start driving so I can level the hitch. If the ride height is changing while I’m trying to keep my hitch as level as possible with the trailer that doesn’t seem like an optimal situation. But I guess we should trust the Kia marketing that it is a towing benefit. My two years of mechanical engineering isn’t enough for me to understand this logic now that I’m a just an IT architect that reads specs then builds and tests performance systems in private and public clouds to spec. Must not be the same thing. You are suggesting I’m confused on how it works, please, tell me where I’m confused. I want to understand what I’m not getting. I honestly thought the upgraded suspension would raise the back to counteract the sag.

To be honest, while I’m glad the 351 was corrected to 500 in my owners manual, the fact that a simple thing like max tongue weight was wrong and contradicted the towing guidance in the owners manual on practically the same page, that was a hint to me that more time was spent on the styling and marketing (which they nailed) than on the towing package specs.

 

[2020Telly]

None of my comments are meant to knock the Dodge Charger or Dodge Durango. If you are going to be adding a metal partition, body armor and armaments in the truck of a people hauler to make a police cruiser out of the Charger makes sense to add self leveling shocks, those “perps” can have a comfortable ride before jail. And with the Durango, it is a solid towing vehicle with serious chops. The value in the Dodge Durango towing package is evident as it has a class IV and many of the accessories I wish the Telluride had. But I personally think that Kia made the same mistake Dodge did by selling this system as a towing suspension upgrade. The fact that the Palisade doesn’t call it that and the Kia Telluride GT going to the Middle East has no towing package but has these shocks further convinces me of that. Again, if I had a station wagon or a touring motorcycle I would be more excited. Calling this a sport suspension upgrade or comfort upgrade makes more sense to me than to suggest it will help with towing, I just don’t see it. Given the more affordable implementation costs over a true hydraulic system, wouldn’t more companies other than just Dodge and Kia sell this as a towing upgrade if these were that good?

 

[2020Telly]

I had another cup of coffee, took a walk, and thought about @Serpens wheel-hop comment, now I have two new theories.

1. Mando vs. Nivomat
   1. Perhaps Mando licenses the Nivomat patent from ZF Sachs because they are a larger manufacturer that has more manufacturing and distribution in the US? I think both companies manufacture in Korea, but I think Mando has a larger global footprint. Given that the Palisade is built in Korea, ZF Sachs could make those in Korea and supply them to Hyundai. But since the Telluride is built in the US and to be considered American made there is some special calculation of assembly and American manufactured parts, perhaps Kia and Mando decided that they could hit that magic percentage to be made in America by supplying Nivomats from Mando instead of ZF Sachs? Given that the replacement cost of the Telluride self-leveling shock is more than the Palisade's maybe the extra cost is because Mando is only able to make so many and they have to give a cut to ZF Sachs?
   2. I know there is a video I have watched about 3 times from a Hyundai Palisade lead product guy that compares the Palisade Nivomats to the Telluride Mandos. But product folks sometimes leave out details to promote their product. What if the guy in that video is leaving out the important detail that he is comparing the two of three higher trims of the Palisade with the ZF Sachs Nivomats to the Telluride EX or SX without the tow package that have the standard Mando shock? But if they had clarified and compared the Palisade with Convenience Package to the Telluride with Towing Package his argument that the Palisade has a better ride would be moot because they are the same?
2. What does "Leveling" really mean?
   1. I was thinking about that wheel hop comment, maybe I have been thinking about this all wrong. What if the self-leveling technology is meant to level side to side along the rear axle. In other words an uneven load. So similar to roll in an aircraft, the self-leveling is meant to keep the left and the right rear wheels at level ride height. I think of leveling when towing more in terms of pitch. So leveling the rear height with the front. Since most Tellruide owners of the higher trims with the LED headlights are thinking that the self leveling will help their road glare of the LEDs not pointing up, it's possible that most people think of leveling in terms of the way I think of it. And when you add it to a tow package that makes me definitely think of it in terms of front to back and not side-to-side.
   2. In my experience when product marketing folks look at how to market a product they sometimes put too much weight in the competitive analysis. Perhaps someone at Kia saw that the Dodge markets self-leveling as a towing package feature so they didn't give any thought to whether the leveling was side to side or front to back, but one makes a bigger impact on towing over the other.

It would be cool if someone on this forum who works in the Kia Irvine design center could either confirm or deny this line of thinking.

 

[Wee]

I had another cup of coffee, took a walk, and thought about @Serpens wheel-hop comment, now I have two new theories.

1. Mando vs. Nivomat
   1. Perhaps Mando licenses the Nivomat patent from ZF Sachs because they are a larger manufacturer that has more manufacturing and distribution in the US? I think both companies manufacture in Korea, but I think Mando has a larger global footprint. Given that the Palisade is built in Korea, ZF Sachs could make those in Korea and supply them to Hyundai. But since the Telluride is built in the US and to be considered American made there is some special calculation of assembly and American manufactured parts, perhaps Kia and Mando decided that they could hit that magic percentage to be made in America by supplying Nivomats from Mando instead of ZF Sachs? Given that the replacement cost of the Telluride self-leveling shock is more than the Palisade's maybe the extra cost is because Mando is only able to make so many and they have to give a cut to ZF Sachs?
   2. I know there is a video I have watched about 3 times from a Hyundai Palisade lead product guy that compares the Palisade Nivomats to the Telluride Mandos. But product folks sometimes leave out details to promote their product. What if the guy in that video is leaving out the important detail that he is comparing the two of three higher trims of the Palisade with the ZF Sachs Nivomats to the Telluride EX or SX without the tow package that have the standard Mando shock? But if they had clarified and compared the Palisade with Convenience Package to the Telluride with Towing Package his argument that the Palisade has a better ride would be moot because they are the same?
2. What does "Leveling" really mean?
   1. I was thinking about that wheel hop comment, maybe I have been thinking about this all wrong. What if the self-leveling technology is meant to level side to side along the rear axle. In other words an uneven load. So similar to roll in an aircraft, the self-leveling is meant to keep the left and the right rear wheels at level ride height. I think of leveling when towing more in terms of pitch. So leveling the rear height with the front. Since most Tellruide owners of the higher trims with the LED headlights are thinking that the self leveling will help their road glare of the LEDs not pointing up, it's possible that most people think of leveling in terms of the way I think of it. And when you add it to a tow package that makes me definitely think of it in terms of front to back and not side-to-side.
   2. In my experience when product marketing folks look at how to market a product they sometimes put too much weight in the competitive analysis. Perhaps someone at Kia saw that the Dodge markets self-leveling as a towing package feature so they didn't give any thought to whether the leveling was side to side or front to back, but one makes a bigger impact on towing over the other.

It would be cool if someone on this forum who works in the Kia Irvine design center could either confirm or deny this line of thinking.

US8146721B2 - Self leveling shock absorber - Google Patents

A self leveling shock absorber includes a base shell, an inner tube in the base shell, having a low pressure chamber between the shell and the inner tube, a piston rod in the inner tube and having a hollow portion with an upper portion closed, a piston valve coupled to the piston rod, dividing...

patents.google.com

Appears Mando has their own patent.

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[2020Telly]

US8146721B2 - Self leveling shock absorber - Google Patents

A self leveling shock absorber includes a base shell, an inner tube in the base shell, having a low pressure chamber between the shell and the inner tube, a piston rod in the inner tube and having a hollow portion with an upper portion closed, a piston valve coupled to the piston rod, dividing...

patents.google.com

Appears Mando has their own patent.

Possibly but the parts websites for Kia and Hyundai show the identical drawing.

 

[ccorry21]

In an attempt to simplify and correct all the misleading press that has not been updated, for the 2020 Telluride these facts are known to be true:

From Kia’s website:

• A Kia tow option can be ordered on any of the 4 trims.
• The Kia tow option includes a hitch receiver, 4-pin flat harness, bumper fascia cover, a 2” square ball mount (but no ball), a lynchpin, a Kia branded rubber hitch cover, all the screws and tie wraps to install.
• All the parts in the Kia tow option can be ordered after vehicle purchase either by a dealer or online.
• Installing at a dealer usually requires a fee. (I installed mine as a DIY for < 2 hours of my time and patience.)
• A Kia tow package can only be delivered from the factory on either the EX or SX trims with purchase and it includes the tow option and two rear self leveling shocks and 2 springs (CORRECTED, thanks @alexdrums).
• The exact Nivomat self leveling shocks cannot be ordered separately. The rear suspension remains identical except for the self leveling shocks and springs and the front struts are unchanged.

From the Owners Manual and best practices:

• The tow option only includes a 4-pin harness that is plug and play.
• The self leveling shocks do not add to towing capacity.
• The hitch weight rating remains 500lbs* and max towing at 5,000lbs on all trims regardless of the tow package. (*Corrected by Kia as original manual list hitch weight as 351lbs.)
• If properly used with a trailer weight distribution system the self leveling shocks will require more careful setup on the WDS.
• Self leveling shocks will self settle the “rear sag” when parked to the same height as standard shocks, the leveling occurs after weight is added and you drive off for a little.

Aftermarket options today include:

• Different style and price hitch receivers from a couple different name brands most hang lower than the bumper (ex. Curt brand) while others use a hidden removable component (ex. Stealth Hitch brand).
• Either a 5 pin or 7 pin harnesses for brake controllers are available but not plug and play and will require electrical work. These are aftermarket only as Kia has no other option other than 4-pin flat harness. In all states towing a trailer with electric brakes requires a brake controller. You are only legal in every state to use just a 4-pin and no brake controller IF the trailer uses surge (non-electric) brakes.
• Pneumatic air bag systems can be purchased and installed aftermarket for true hydraulic air suspension but also includes an air compressor and electrical be installed.

Everything above is known to be true by me based on specs today, looking at my own Telluride and manual and hours of reading posts in this forum by other Owners over the past year. (At this point I trust that research more than any news article where the writer spent a day driving the Telluride and interviewed someone from Kia Product Marketing.) But on at least two occasions Kia made some option modifications to available options on the 2020 EX to include 20" wheels and captains chairs (with the new EX Premium Package) and adding to the 2020 S an 8 passenger package so they might add or change something tomorrow or in the 2021 model year.

My opinion . . .
If you are willing to wait indefinitely for the exact vehicle you want, ignore what I’m about to say. If you are waiting for an order and don’t want to wait excessively, don’t complicate it by explicitly requiring either the tow option or the tow package as it may slow down a VIN assignment. If it comes with it and you want or need the option then buy it, if you don’t want it and you pass it up, you may be trading a few hundred $s for months of waiting. That is to say, if a vehicle rolls off the assembly with everything else you want but no tow option or no tow package, a dealer offers it to you I personally would not pass it up. You could negotiate the tow option with the dealer and get it added after or go aftermarket. And that should keep you under $500 if you shop around. The self leveling shocks shocks aren’t going to change your ability to tow and you can always pay someone to install true air bags if you want or wait for the aftermarket self leveling shocks to become available and add it for a nominal fee. The tow option from the factory is a $475 MSRP add on and the tow package is a $795 MSRP add on, so Kia’s upcharge to go from standard to self leveling is $200 per shock. By comparison, Advance Auto Parts sells a KYB self leveling shock for the Sorrento for $150 per shock. I’m not suggesting it will work on the Telluride but I am suggesting that you aren’t getting a huge deal from Kia to get it from the factory. Of course if you don’t like the rear sag “issue“ that probably helps you gas mileage there are a ton of aftermarket generic air bags that can be added.

Really appreciate this insight @NCTelly, as I’ve been recently considering adding some sort of tow option.
As per Kia’s build site, it seems the standalone hitch option has started to slip, now being listed as “coming soon”, whereas I’m almost positive it was not listed this way a week or so ago.
I was hoping to add during the build to avoid a high Kia markup after the fact, as well as (what I assume would be) a more unsightly uhaul option.

 

[alexdrums]

Really appreciate this insight @NCTelly, as I’ve been recently considering adding some sort of tow option.
As per Kia’s build site, it seems the standalone hitch option has started to slip, now being listed as “coming soon”, whereas I’m almost positive it was not listed this way a week or so ago.
I was hoping to add during the build to avoid a high Kia markup after the fact, as well as (what I assume would be) a more unsightly uhaul option.

Yes, that is weird. I ordered my Telluride with the Tow Hitch & Harness option, so I know it is possible. Maybe it is just another mistake with the website, there have been a lot of inaccuracies there.

 

[2020Telly]

Really appreciate this insight @NCTelly, as I’ve been recently considering adding some sort of tow option.
As per Kia’s build site, it seems the standalone hitch option has started to slip, now being listed as “coming soon”, whereas I’m almost positive it was not listed this way a week or so ago.
I was hoping to add during the build to avoid a high Kia markup after the fact, as well as (what I assume would be) a more unsightly uhaul option.

You can still buy the factory tow hitch without the harness and have the harness added after the fact. The hitch by itself is a standalone part from the harness. The 2021 vehicle harness is prewired for this in a way that I don't think the 2020 is prewired. In addition there will be aftermarket options that come out to fit the 2021 that will likely be better Amperage and plug n play.

If I were buying now, I would not hold up a ~$40K vehicle purchase simply because a ~$200 overpriced OEM harness is backordered. It's always easier and more affordable to add options with the purchase, but you might be crunching pennies to save a dollar relatively speaking. You are letting a $475 option prevent you from buying the vehicle.

• If you plan to just carry bikes, order the Telluride without the Tow Option and get the hitch and bumper plate only for $340 after purchase. (2020 Kia Telluride Tow Hitch S9F61-AU000 | Wholesale Kia Parts & 2020-2021 Kia Telluride Bumper Plate (AA022))
• If you plan to tow a trailer with no brakes and just need 4 pin, order the Telluride without the Tow Option and get the hitch and buy a 4-pin aftermarket plug-n-play harness for $40 instead of spending $180. You can even buy the 2020 kit and put it on the 2021 for $650. (2020-2021 Kia Telluride Hitch Kit (AA023))
• If you plan to tow a trailer with brakes, but not right away, order the Telluride without the Tow Option. Take your time and find the Kia Hitch and wait a couple months for the probably ~$200 7-pin harness for the 2021 to be in stock, or wait for a better plug-n-play 7-pin aftermarket that will likely be under $100.
• If you are serious towing person, order the 2021 without any option, including no Tow Package. Buy the hitch and bumper cover for $340, get someone to install the 7-way round using a generic kit and they can use something like positap connectors that are barely a splice, but all the wires are where they need to be, and consider an air bag system that will help you more than the self-leveling shocks might. Yes, this option will be more more than $795, but the end result will be a more suitable Towing Package, possibly for under $1,500.

It just comes down to waiting for the $475 or foregoing it now, to spend about $300 more after you get the Telluride and you examine your options.

Product Comparison: Compare Products

Genuine OEM Kia Accessories and Parts for all Kia vehicles. Order Kia floor mats, Kia spare tire kits, mud guards and more at KiaStuff.com.

kiastuff.com

And lastly, if you have no interest in towing but want a smoother ride for the rear passengers, get an air bag system professionally installed or look at air helper bags for your struts. You might be waiting for the Tow Package for $795 just because of a delay on the 7-pin harness to get the self-leveling shocks that might not be all they are advertised to be. RealTruck.com has some aftermarket air suspension upgrades that will be the same or slightly more than the Tow Package if you are just buying it for the self-leveling shocks.