One of the most notable three-row SUVs to hit the market this year is the 2020 Kia Telluride, thanks to its rugged good looks, capable performance, and competitive pricing. As if that weren’t enough, Telluride has a number of innovative features to make it one of the most family-friendly SUVs on the market as well. Here are a few of our favorites.
While Telluride is one of the best three-row SUVs on the road today, it’s not perfect. There’s no in-car WiFi and third row legroom isn’t best in class. All in all, it’s a great effort and worth considering if you’re in the market for a family-friendly SUV.
Driver Talk
Photo courtesy of Kia Motors
Kia lets you communicate with second and third row passengers without turning your head or having to shout over the radio. Just hit the “driver talk” icon to mute the music and have your voice piped through Telluride’s speakers. Now you know your kids will hear you when you say, “Don’t make me stop this car!”
Six USB Ports
Photo courtesy of Kia Motors
Clearly Kia realizes passengers confined to the third row are people, too. So not only do you get USB ports for the first and second row, but there’s also one on each side in the way back to keep devices powered and kids entertained on long road trips. Bonus points for the convenient placement of the second row outlets high on the front seat backs for easy accessibility.
Safe Exit Assistance
Photo by Harvey Briggs
It’s hard enough to get kids to look both ways before they cross the street much less look behind them before opening the rear door. Telluride uses the rear radar to check for oncoming cars or bicycles and prevent the doors from being opened when danger is approaching.
Cavernous Cargo Space
Photo courtesy of Kia Motors
Not every three-row SUV has room for everyone’s bag behind the third row, but the Telluride does. There’s 21-cubic feet of cargo space when all the seats are occupied, meaning as long as everyone packs smartly, you can get a week’s worth of luggage inside the car for your family vacation.
Easy Third Row Access
Photo courtesy of Kia Motors
It’s bad enough to be consigned to the third row, at least getting in and out is easy. Telluride’s second row seats fold and slide forward with the touch of a button and there are conveniently placed grab handles so you don’t have to be a contortionist to get back there.
Interior Configurability
Photo courtesy of Kia Motors
Whether you need to carry a lot of people or a lot of stuff, Telluride has you covered. No matter if you have the second row captain’s chairs or the bench seat, they fold flat which makes it perfect for bringing home all those things your kids can’t live without, from a new flat-screen TV to enough groceries to feed a teenager for a week.
Rear Seat Occupant Alert
Photo by Harvey Briggs
Kia knows that parents sometimes get distracted and it’s surprisingly easy to leave a sleeping child or important package behind if you’re in a rush. The standard rear occupant alert system has three separate warnings to let you know you’ve left something, or someone behind: a chime when you get ready to exit the vehicle, a text alert to your smartphone saying “Hey, you forgot something,” and finally the horn will sound if the ultra sonic sensors detect anything in the rear two rows.
