Sal Collaziano
Staff member

The new eight-seater slots in above the Sorento.
Kia is going big with its new Telluride three-row SUV, both literally and figuratively. It will be the biggest crossover in Kia’s lineup, positioned above the (also three-row) Sorento. Upon this larger canvas Kia has painted bold styling that deviates little from that of the bold Telluride concept car from a few years ago.
Final details are forthcoming, but Kia says the Telluride is several inches longer and wider than the Sorento. It’ll hold up to eight people, while the Sorento can only hold seven between its two front seats, three-across second-row bench, and its admittedly tight two-place third-row seat. That means you can expect the Telluride's third row to accommodate three humans, although don't rule out a seven-seat version with captain's chairs in the second row.
Beyond its extra size, the Telluride also is far more distinctive than the Sorento, with interesting head- and taillight designs and a boxy, truck-like silhouette. Disregard a few of the custom off-road-y bits seen on this particular vehicle—including all-terrain tires, beefy bumpers, an intake snorkel, a roof rack, and a hatch-mounted spare tire—as it’s simply a modified version of the production car debuting at New York Fashion Week. Read more...