Looking for honest opinions on the Telluride

Is it as good as everyone says? Does Kia have good resale value and good service? Are parts pricey? I’m stuck deciding between the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Prado.

My family really loves Toyota and Lexus, and they are pushing me to get one of those even if it means waiting a long time for delivery.

Has anyone here bought a Kia Telluride and regretted that choice?

I know most people here like this attractive car, but I’d also like to hear about any downsides.

Is the Telluride similar to the Hyundai Palisade?

I have a 2022 SXP and I really love it. I grew up in a family loyal to Acura, Honda, and Lexus. The Telluride isn’t really a luxury vehicle, and the dealership experience doesn’t compare. It feels a bit like shopping at Walmart. But the ride is smooth, it’s attractive, and I haven’t had any issues so far. I’ve even gotten compliments from strangers.

@Ali
That dealership experience is so true. I spent weeks car shopping at about 10 dealerships from Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, all the way to Audi, Acura, and Volvo, and Kia was definitely the worst. The worst part is you’ll need to deal with them for service and warranty issues.

@Daryl
I’ve been doing the same this week, and oddly, Kia was the best when we went to the second dealership.

The first one was boring; it felt like they weren’t even trying to sell cars. The second one really took care of us, which reminded me of when I bought my Audi back in 2017. I can’t say the same for my recent Audi visit—they treated us like we were poor and couldn’t afford a car. If that’s the case, I’d rather spend my money on a $60k car somewhere else. Hyundai’s staff were just as rude. Toyota seemed annoyed because we were there to shop for a Highlander, not interested in a Sienna, so they shouldn’t be pushing that on us. VW didn’t even bother to come talk to us; they just stayed away and chatted about golfing.

But that second Kia dealership was different; I think we were lucky because we met with the sales director, which helped.

To be honest, I had a reality check this week. I’ve always been an Audi fan, thinking they were the best in technology and ergonomics. But the Telluride 2024 has much better features than both the Q5 and Q7, and for a much better price. The dealership experience was not good. Getting looked at by a 21-year-old was demeaning. With all this, I don’t see the need to buy a luxury car just for the name.

I own the 2023 SXP X-Line and have about 1800 miles on it. I love it. It’s the quietest and smoothest car I’ve owned or driven (I frequently use rentals for work). I have no regrets about buying it, and so far, I haven’t had any issues except the digital key that can be a bit finicky. The MPG could be better compared to others in its class, but I average slightly better than advertised. The dealership process was quick and easy. I had to order mine but only waited about three weeks for it to arrive. On the delivery day, I finalized the financing and drove it home an hour later.

@Ashby
It’s frustrating that the mechanical key isn’t built into the fob.

Addison said:
@Ashby
It’s frustrating that the mechanical key isn’t built into the fob.

I agree with you. The key fob seems large enough to fit it. I’ve never needed a mechanical backup key for any of my cars.

Addison said:
@Ashby
It’s frustrating that the mechanical key isn’t built into the fob.

It is on my 2022 EX, but for some odd reason, they changed it.

Addison said:
@Ashby
It’s frustrating that the mechanical key isn’t built into the fob.

It’s on the 2020-2022 models. For some reason, Kia had a mishap and changed that.

@Ashby
I’ve had the same experience with my 2023 SX. Everything you’ve mentioned is spot on. The MPG is my only real complaint. The mobile app is good, but the response time with the vehicle modem could be better—it takes around 10-15 seconds to process lock/unlock commands, and that waiting feels longer when you’re waiting with kids for the door to open.

We have around 7000 miles on our 2023 S AWD after about five months, and we really enjoy it. Most of my complaints are small things that aren’t too serious.

  • The backup camera frequently gets dirty; there’s a simple fix I just haven’t done yet.

  • Driver warnings feel overly sensitive and make me feel panicked.

  • The infotainment system can have a frustrating operation, like how it won’t default back to Android after using certain features.

  • It feels a bit floaty on the highway, which isn’t my preference.

  • Cargo space feels a little tight for a family of five on road trips, but it’s manageable.

  • More USB ports would be nice.

  • Gear selection can feel odd at times.

Otherwise, it’s great. We didn’t need all the extra features on the higher models, but we don’t feel like we’re missing out on much. I never imagined I would own a Kia, and I could have afforded something deemed better, but I’m happy with my choice.

@Bali
My husband can’t stand how sensitive the sensors are. He gets frustrated with the car every time we drive.

Emil said:
@Bali
My husband can’t stand how sensitive the sensors are. He gets frustrated with the car every time we drive.

Right? It’s like ‘That other car is TWO LANES OVER and not trying to change, I think we’re okay!’ I always check because I don’t trust the sensors.

I feel the same way. My wife used to tell me to calm down until it happened to her, and now she swears at it too.

@Bali
He hits the steering wheel out of frustration! I’m not the best driver, so I appreciate the alert sensors and double-check everything. But wow, those alert noises are so annoying—they make me jump every single time.

@Emil
Yeah, my partner disables those alerts for the same reason.

@Bali
Just curious, can you turn those alerts off?

Birch said:
@Bali
Just curious, can you turn those alerts off?

I believe you can disable some alerts, but I think an update changed something because ours has been less sensitive lately.

@Bali
What’s the fix for the dirty backup camera?

Birch said:
@Bali
What’s the fix for the dirty backup camera?

Someone on here mentioned (and others agreed) that there’s a little cover you can attach to protect it from dirt while maintaining full visibility. I can’t remember the name but I’m going to look for it. I’m tired of cleaning it every time it rains.

@Bali
That sounds pretty funny!