NAIAS 2016: Kia Telluride Concept Just Wants To Make Sure You're Feeling Okay (Are You Sure? Let Me Check Your Forehead.)
Kia teased a new large SUV concept last week, the Telluride, and we were able to see more of the new, uniquely styled luxury SUV today.
Clearly, the deep metallic green paint is applied to attract football fans, timed perfectly a couple weeks before the Super Bowl and the resulting guacamole gorge.
Kia notes that its concept is based on an existing platform (Sedona, perhaps?) and has suicide doors to ease access into the second row captain’s chairs. Those seats, incidentally, have built-in sensors that monitor the passenger’s health. The LED lights below the panoramic sunroof can generate a pattern of therapeutic light to counteract jetlag.
The concept is powered by a 400 horsepower, gas-electric hybrid powertrain.
Discuss this story on our Kia Telluride Forum
Kia also teased another hybrid SUV concept, the Niro, to be unveiled in Chicago in February.
Some enthusiasts say they were born with gasoline in their veins. Chris Tonn, on the other hand, had rust flakes in his eyes nearly since birth. Living in salty Ohio and being hopelessly addicted to vintage British and Japanese steel will do that to you. His work has appeared in eBay Motors, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars, Reader's Digest, AutoGuide, Family Handyman, and Jalopnik. He is a member of the Midwest Automotive Media Association, and he's currently looking for the safety glasses he just set down somewhere.
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Looks pretty "Jeepish" to me, with the largest possible interpretation of the "tiger-nose" grille. It's OK
The whole thing tries way too hard to look too nouveau and futuristic and it fails. It's hard to put into words. It's too blocky on the front. It looks as if they copied the front clip of a Rolls-Royce on to this thing and modified the grille to fit the Kia look. The overall shape of the body resembles the Porsche Cayenne (which isn't an eyesore). The entire rear end is so bad that seeing it is a great alternative if for some reason there's a need to induce vomiting and syrup of ipecac isn't readily available. No words for that at all. The interior, on the other hand, isn't too space-age in looks but it's not sleek either. The GL-Class, specifically the X164, is simple yet still pretty nice--which is why I refer to it as a luxury SUV that was well-executed. The seating in this thing resembles avant-garde furniture. There's a missing B-pillar which should be very interesting as far as crashworthiness if this atrocity ever makes production. I have to admit that Kia did a decent job on the Sorento. This, however, should be crushed and put in the past.