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- Kia Telluride reveal offers hope for Kia Tasman’s polarising design.
- New SUV features a “restrained” and “tailored” Opposites United design.
- Tasman sales struggle significantly in Australia, missing launch targets.
- Flagship SUV debuts a 2.5-litre turbo-hybrid engine for North America.
- Interior improvements include better headroom and clever functional storage solutions.
It’s been a tough few months for the Kia Tasman, but the release of the all-new Kia Telluride in North America is a beacon of hope for the unloved dual-cab ute. With a front-end that resembles a Tasman ute in its design philosophy and execution, it could be the best look yet at what a “fixed” Kia Tasman might look like.
We’re more than six months into the Kia Tasman experience in Australia, and it seems the polarising ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy hasn’t grown on anyone. Sales have been slow for the dual-cab ute, significantly down on the 20,000 annual number the brand was chasing before launch. With just 467 sales across the Kia Tasman 4X4 (410) and Kia Tasman 4X2 (57) line-up, it doesn’t look like they will pick up anytime soon. No, sales might be going the other way as the brand has extended its drive-away deals for the ute, slashing AUD$3,900 off the price of its Tasman S 4×4 dual-cab pickup ($49,990 drive-away).
Kia’s Opposites United philosophy has been the guiding principle for design language since 2021, but this new model is notably restrained compared to its predecessors. “With Telluride, it was a matter of being tailored and restrained – dare I say, anti-design,” said Tom Kearns, VP and Senior Chief Designer, Kia Design Centre America. “With that approach, it was about capturing strength and luxury, tradition and modernness, into a single expression. That’s what Opposites United enabled us to do.”
Surfaces and angles are as “chiselled” as ever, with a clear nod to the Kia Carnival, Sportage, and EV models in the headlights and in the defined triangular creases of the fenders. Yet it appears “smoother,” with a fluid body and contours along the sides where its profile is surprisingly elegant for a reasonably rugged SUV with floating wheel cladding that channels a little (but not too much) Kia Tasman.
X-Pro variants (pictured) feature blacked-out wheel arches, side mirrors, beltline trim, and D-pillars, alongside a bold mesh-type grille and a squared-off black lower bumper. Practically speaking, there are all-terrain tyres, front and rear recovery hooks, and 9.1 inches of ground clearance.
Still, the biggest improvements over the Kia Tasman are at the front end, where the “bold, robust, and ready for anything” design language continues, but in a restrained manner. You have a similar broad hood with clean, straight lines that establishes a powerful stance, but the vertical headlamps are framed by the high-gloss grille that fixes the Tasman’s biggest problem in an instant. Like other models in the line-up, the trademark precision grille patterns and advanced lighting signatures create a high-tech, futuristic impression that bridges the gap between the city streets where owners live and their mountain lodge.
“The original Telluride has these instantly recognisable vertical bar tail lamps. In the second generation, we reinforced this strong light signature by applying it to the front as well,” said Kurt Kahl, Chief Designer, Kia Design Centre America. “The twin LED vertical strips that frame the grille 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. Their crisp geometry not only modernises the SUV but also provides a beacon-like quality, recalling trail markers that guide the way through changing terrain.”
This is the brand’s flagship SUV, but on the inside of the 7-seater, it seems to take a page out of the Kia Tasman’s book. It’s taller than before, with improved interior packaging and enhanced access for easier entry and exit into the second and third rows. Headroom has improved too (by up to half an inch in models equipped with sunroofs), and you get a folding luggage table with integrated ruler markings and a removable partition in the boot, which is handy.
Subtle lighting, wood-like textures for warmth, real metal accents, sturdy grab handles, the brand has considered the functional elements as much as they have the technology. We don’t know exactly how large the touchscreen infotainment system is yet, as it’s still in pre-production, but we do know the passenger console in the rear of the new Telluride transforms into a functional table.
Colour options for the exterior of the vehicle include Black Jade Green, and Terrain Brown (available in both glossy and matte finishes), and more for a total of 10 exterior colours.
Last but not least, the Kia Telluride might be the first chance we’ve had to look at what a hybrid Kia Tasman could look like for the Australian market. It features a 2.5-litre Turbo-Hybrid Petrol engine with 245 kW (329 hp) and 460 Nm (339 lb-ft) sending power to all four wheels through a 6-Speed Automatic transmission. It sips just ~6.7 L/100km (converted from 35 MPG), but can only tow ~2,268 kg (5,000 lbs) compared to the Tasman’s 3.5-tonne.
Previously, Roland Rivero, general manager of product planning, has shown interest in a hybrid in the wake of strict NVES regulations: “What would probably be more of a priority, in line with NVES, is something like a plug-in hybrid or a hybrid down the track,” said Rivero. ” to choose between a performance or an , we’d be leaning towards electrified.”
More information about the 2027 Kia Telluride X Pro can be found at the brands
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