The car that “scares kids from a street away” will be released at the end of the month! The first images have appeared
Article by Alexandru Stanciu – Published Tuesday, November 11, 2025 19:51 / Updated Wednesday, November 12, 2025 05:06
The new “Telluride” model from Kia has a look “that could scare the kids from a street away”, as the Americans characterize it. The second-generation SUV is bigger, beefier, and could be the first “Telluride” with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Kia has released the first images of the new Telluride, which will be available from 2027. According to carscoops.com, all technical details will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show this month.
Kia's new 'Telluride' 'scares kids a block away'
The design of the new model is noticeably more square, with slightly flared wings. The vertical LED light blocks, both front and rear, retain a subtle connection to the old model, but the grille is a major change, probably the most controversial element of the new Telluride, and Americans say it will “scare the kids from a street away.”
On most versions, the grille has vertical bars and is partially enclosed, while the X-Pro variant comes with a massive grille, exposed tow hooks and taller roof bars.
The X-Pro, a trim first introduced on the 'Telluride' in 2023, also offers off-road tires and 231mm of ground clearance. Inside, the panel that integrates the two 12.3-inch screens now has a perfectly rectangular shape, the steering wheel, with a modern design, has three or four spokes, and the gear shifter on the central console has been replaced by one mounted on the column.
The new “Telluride” is 58mm longer, 25mm taller and has a 75mm longer wheelbase than the previous generation.
Kia has yet to reveal what's under the hood, but the first information points to a completely new range of engines. The first Telluride was exclusively equipped with a 291 hp V8, but this will be replaced by two more modern options, a 3.5-liter V6 with 287 hp and 352 Nm, and, for the first time, a plug-in hybrid version with a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline four. 100% electric propulsion is not taken into account.
Kia plans to begin deliveries of the new “Telluride” model in the first quarter of 2026, and the official debut will take place at the Los Angeles Auto Show between November 21 and 30.
