As it enters its second generation, Kia's popular Telluride SUV has become one of the hottest cars on the U.S. market. It's so important to the South Korean automaker that some company officials refer to it as the "Selluride."
Kia has sold 85,418 Tellurides through the end of July 2026, up from 71,913 it sold during the same period last year, according to sales figures the company released on July 31. The only Kia vehicles that have sold better so far in 2026 are the Sportage and the K4/Forte, with 110,990 and 85,673 units, respectively.
Kia said the Telluride sold 11,816 units in July 2026 alone, which company officials said helped boost the brand's overall performance in the month.
The Telluride is available in gas-powered and hybrid formats.
We tested 2027 models of both versions to see which one is a better buy.
What makes the 2027 Kia Telluride hybrid stand out?
The Kia Telluride hybrid offers a broad range of features, smooth handling and an appealing curbside exterior.
In a week of testing, the Kia Telluride's interior and cargo area felt spacious for daily driving needs. The second-row captain's chairs offer easy access to the third-row seating, but they limited the option to seat three passengers across the second row in a bid to expand the rear cargo space for a late summer family beach road trip.
I enjoyed the Kia Telluride hybrid's large infotainment screen and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The gear selector, mounted on a lever on the right side of the steering wheel near the wiper controls rather than a traditional gear shift, took some getting used to.
The 2027 Telluride hybrid offers a smooth, comfortable ride with sturdy handling. Its acceleration is quick enough to keep daily driving fun. A daily driver might easily forget they are driving a hybrid SUV because the Telluride handles like a car.
The Kia Telluride hybrid gets an estimated 30 mpg in city driving and 32 mpg on highways. The model I tested got over 450 miles on a single tank of gas, mostly in local driving.
The Telluride hybrid comes with a 2.5 Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder hybrid system engine. Kia said the Telluride offers up to 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque.
–Keith Laing
What makes the gas-powered 2027 Kia Telluride stand out?
The 2027 Kia Telluride (gas model) offers a massive cabin, plenty of cargo space and engaging driving dynamics.
I was able to haul a queen-size mattress in the midsize family SUV during my week of testing. It's fun to drive because of its generous horsepower and my passengers loved how roomy its cabin was.
The interior design is futuristic and the massive standard 12.3-inch infotainment system is a great inclusion by Kia. Starting at $39,190, I was satisfied with the value proposition of the redesigned Telluride because of standard features like front and rear parking sensors and blind-spot detection. Upper trims like the S add desirable features like second-row captain's chairs for comfort and convenience.
The 2027 Kia Telluride is one of my personal favorite new cars of 2026 after testing testing dozens of models. It comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The gas model gets 20 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on highways.
–Charles Singh
Which one is better? 2027 Kia Telluride hybrid vs. gas model
The gas-powered Telluride starts at a modest $39,190 before taxes and additional fees. The 2027 model is the first time the Telluride is available as a hybrid. The hybrid starts at just over $46,000 before taxes and additional fees, also making it an average-priced option compared to many of the other new crossover SUVs on the market.
Our gas-powered Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige AWD test vehicle starts at $56,790, but it comes with all the bells and whistles like an engineered carbon interior trim and a ground view monitor for off-roading. The 2027 Telluride is available in a whopping 10 gas trims and five hybrid trims.
The base-model hybrid costs less than the average price of a mid-size crossover SUV, which was $50,144 in July 2026, according to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book. The hybrid Telluride is available in five trims, ranging from the base-model EX, which starts at $46,490, to the X-Line SX Prestige, which starts at $57,590.
So which one is better? The hybrid Telluride offers a slight power pump and a huge fuel economy bump, but the gas-powered one starts about $7,000 cheaper.
Both vehicles are spacious and worth considering if you need a family SUV with sturdy handling and a powerful engine. Either model can haul a family of up to seven people.
Both models come with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. They have a 360-degree surround view monitor and driver assistance safety systems like blind spot view monitor, forward collision avoidance assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, highway driving assist and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist.
With gas prices averaging over $4 per gallon nationally, the hybrid Telluride is probably the best way to go.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is the gas-powered or hybrid Kia Telluride the better SUV?
