A white 2027 Kia Telluride X-Pro has been spotted in Southern California running some unusual hardware. The photos come from KindelAuto (@kindelauto), who asks whether Kia is cooking something special or simply running a tire test.
The Telluride X-Pro is already on sale, so a test car in this trim is not news on its own. But a few details on this one are different from the production model.
What Is Different On This Test Car
Black brackets on the wheel arches: each arch has a black bracket at the top, which seems to hold the cladding in place. We have not seen this on production X-Pro models.
Marked tires: the rear tire has "LR" (left rear) written on its sidewall. Tire positions are usually marked like this during tire testing.
Test tags: there is a white sticker on the front door and the car wears a manufacturer plate at the rear, while the front has no plate.
Dark wheels with all-terrain tires: the multi-spoke wheels and chunky tires look like the standard X-Pro setup, but the tires could be a new size or compound.
Just A Tire Test, Or Something More?
The simplest explanation is a tire test. Kia may be validating a new all-terrain tire for the X-Pro, or a new supplier. The "LR" mark points that way.
The wheel arch brackets are harder to explain. They could make room for larger tires, or they could be testing a new cladding design. Toyota, Ford and Honda all sell more extreme versions of their three-row SUVs, so a tougher Telluride would not be a surprise. For now, that is only speculation.
This is also not the first time a Telluride has been caught with odd parts. Last year we saw a Telluride prototype wearing Genesis wheels.
The 2027 Telluride X-Pro Today
The X-Pro sits at the top of the gas-powered 2027 Telluride range. It already comes with:
Off-road suspension with extra travel
An electronic limited-slip differential
9.1 inches of ground clearance
Terrain Mode and front and rear recovery points
All-terrain tires
We first saw the X-Pro testing in California right after its LA Auto Show debut. There is also a Telluride Hybrid, and an EREV version is planned for 2029.
Our Take
Most likely, this is a tire test. Still, the brackets on the arches are worth watching. If Kia is working on a tougher X-Pro, we should see more test cars soon. We will keep an eye on it.
Photos: KindelAuto (@kindelauto)
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