2027 Kia Telluride is the Palisade twin we hope to finally get in PH

Kia reveals next-generation Telluride SUV

The large crossover SUV segment isn’t exactly a volume market in the Philippines. But while that’s the case, there are contenders that still exist in showrooms such as the Mazda CX-90, the Subaru Evoltis, and the Hyundai Palisade.

Kia, on the other hand, has revealed an all-new SUV to compete with those models. Unfortunantely though, the battleground isn’t happening here just yet because it’s made in America. But since the new Philippines-US trade deal could potentially see vehicle import tariffs drop to 0%, there could finally be a chance for Kia Philippines to introduce it to the market.

We’re talking about the second-generation Telluride, which is Kia’s flagship gas-powered SUV. No, it’s not exactly an EV9 with an internal combustion engine but instead, it shares its mechanical bits with the latest Hyundai Palisade.

As such, the Telluride is 60mm longer, 25mm taller, and its wheelbase has been stretched out a further 75mm. The increased dimensions have also resulted in a stronger presence and more upmarket design that adheres to Kia’s “Opposites United” language.

It retains the signature amber daytime running lights positioned vertically, along with the main headlights. The side profile, meanwhile, shows the Telluride’s more upright stance with sharp chiseled angles and fluid contours. The vertical treatment is continued to the rear end of the SUV, giving a Range Rover-esque appearance. Much like the EV6 and EV9, the Telluride has flush door handles for a clean look.

Inside, the Telluride gets the familiar Kia-Hyundai dashboard theme with a wide and horizontal layout, complete with a widescreen display panel and a decent amount of physical knobs and buttons. Wood-like textures and real metal accents line the interior along with bold choices for the color schemes like Deep Navy with Tuscan Umber and Blackberry with Sand Beige.

The second row seats have captain’s chairs with a slide-out table from the rear of the center console, while the third-row seats can seat three, making up the Telluride’s 7-seater capacity.

For now, Kia hasn’t released powertrain details about the Telluride, but it’s likely to have the 2.5-liter turbo-four from the Palisade with 281 PS and 422 Nm of torque, and the hybrid version that bumps up power to 334 PS and 460 Nm of torque.

The Kia Telluride will make its public debut at the 2025 LA Auto Show, along with the more rugged-looking, outdoor-oriented variant called the X-Pro.