Kia is opening a new chapter in its design evolution with the first look at the reimagined 2027 Kia Telluride. Six years after its market-shifting debut, the Telluride continues to be one of the brand’s most successful and admired midsize SUVs. Known for blending refined luxury with true SUV capability, the Telluride quickly became a benchmark in the family SUV segment.
For the second generation, Kia’s goal was not reinvention, but an elevated evolution. Rather than starting fresh, Kia’s designers refined the winning formula, maintaining the Telluride’s core identity while enhancing its presence, proportions, and premium feel.
Expected to arrive in showrooms in Q1 2026, the all-new 2027 Telluride will make its global debut later this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, including a full lineup of trims and the adventure-ready X-Pro.
A Confident Evolution Guided by Opposites United Design
The 2027 Telluride embraces Kia’s global Opposites United design philosophy, balancing strength with elegance, modernity with tradition, and rugged character with sophisticated styling.
Tom Kearns, VP and Senior Chief Designer at Kia Design Center America, describes the approach as “tailored and restrained” with a focus on capturing both luxury and rugged authenticity. The result is a model that feels modernized, elevated, and unmistakably Telluride.
The newest generation grows in size for improved presence and interior comfort. Key dimensional updates include:
- 2.3 inches longer overall
- Nearly 3 inches stretched wheelbase
- 1 inch taller stance
The increased proportions contribute to a stronger road presence while preserving the Telluride’s signature boxy silhouette.
Exterior Design: Rugged Elegance Meets Modern Precision
Inspired by the rugged beauty of Telluride, Colorado, the 2027 redesign pairs chiseled shapes with refined details. The front end introduces a bolder, more assertive look with:
- A broad, clean-lined hood
- Vertical LED headlamps framing a high-gloss grille
- Precision grille patterns and futuristic lighting signatures
The side profile combines smooth contouring with bold geometric accents. Triangular fender creases evoke a diamond-cut look, while upward character lines visually lift the stance for a more athletic presence. Flush door handles (as seen on the EV6 and EV9) reinforce the modern, premium impression.
At the rear, raised beltlines and wide fenders create a powerful, planted feel, supported by a sculpted bumper that hints at off-road capability.
X-Pro Trim: Adventure-Ready Design and Enhanced Capability
The 2027 Telluride X-Pro amplifies rugged design with a more commanding and capable exterior. Key X-Pro features include:
- Blacked-out wheel arches, mirrors, beltline trim, and D-pillars
- Raised roof rails for overlanding and adventure gear
- Mesh-style grille with squared-off black lower bumper
- Standard all-terrain tires
- 9.1 inches of ground clearance
- Front and rear recovery hooks
The X-Pro not only looks ready for the wild, it is built for it. From trails to unpaved roads, the X-Pro trim delivers confidence beyond the pavement.
Advanced Lighting that Defines Identity
Lighting plays a major role in the 2027 Telluride’s design evolution. Kia retains its signature vertical light graphics while updating them with a sleek, precise Star Map lighting design.
Key lighting enhancements include:
- Twin LED vertical light strips in front and rear
- Amber-hued DRLs with modern geometric styling
- Architectural rear light design with body-color separation
Exclusive to the X-Pro, Ground Lighting adds functional illumination under the mirrors, doors, rear bumper, and tailgate area for improved visibility during night-time use, camping, or gear loading. Puddle lamps projecting “Telluride” enhance premium presence.
Wheel designs range from 18, 20, and 21-inch options, featuring contrasting finishes and D-shaped patterns for a refined yet strong visual presence.
Interior: A Premium Tech-Forward Sanctuary
Inside, the 2027 Telluride transitions into a calm, premium sanctuary focused on space, comfort, and modern craftsmanship. The cabin design blends the natural world with upscale luxury, delivering a balance of openness and warmth.
Interior highlights include:
- Wide horizontal cabin layout for an expansive feel
- Wraparound design for a sense of enclosure and comfort
- Wood-like textures and real metal accents for premium touchpoints
- Soft ambient lighting beneath the center console
- New mesh headrests in first and second rows
- Reconfigurable cargo space with folding luggage table, integrated ruler markings, and removable partition
The enlarged exterior size results in improved interior packaging, with easier third-row access and up to half-inch increased headroom on sunroof-equipped models.
Luxury-Level Materials and Color Themes
The interior CMF (Color, Materials, Finish) theme, known as Grandioso, emphasizes refined elegance through rich textures and dual-tone harmonies.
New and returning colorways include:
- Deep Navy with Tuscan Umber
- All-new Blackberry paired with Sand Beige
- X-series exclusive: all-black, deep khaki, or saddle brown
Seating materials are enhanced with embossed patterns, diagonal line work, and V-shaped motifs to add visual depth and tactile quality.
Expanded Exterior Color Palette
The 2027 Telluride introduces new exterior paint options such as Black Jade Green and Terrain Brown, available in both glossy and matte finishes. In total, ten exterior colors give buyers more ways to personalize style, whether aiming for rugged adventure or urban sophistication.
Final Thoughts
The 2027 Kia Telluride evolves a winning formula with more space, stronger visual identity, elevated luxury, and upgraded adventure-ready features. Without abandoning what made it a standout, Kia successfully advances the Telluride into its next era of modern family utility and refined capability.
As anticipation builds toward its world debut at the LA Auto Show, the second-generation Telluride is positioned to remain one of the most desirable three-row SUVs on the market.
