
2023 Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional in Midnight Lake Blue (a $495 coloration possibility)
2023 Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
Class: Midsize Crossover
Coloration: Midnight Lake Blue
CG Report Card | |
---|---|
Room and Consolation | A |
Energy and Efficiency | B+ |
Match and End | A- |
Gasoline Economic system | B- |
Worth | A |
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus different automobiles in the identical class. Worth grade is for particular trim degree evaluated, and should not replicate Client Information’s impressions of all the mannequin lineup. | |
Huge & Tall Consolation | |
Huge Man | A |
Tall Man | A |
Huge & Tall consolation scores are for entrance seats solely. “Huge” score primarily based on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” score primarily based on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
Drivetrain | |
Engine Specs | 291-hp 3.8-liter |
Engine Sort | V6 |
Transmission | 8-speed computerized |
Drive Wheels | AWD |
Miles pushed: 281
Noticed gasoline financial system: 17.6 mpg
Driving combine: 60% metropolis, 40% freeway
EPA-estimated gasoline financial system: 19/25/21 (mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed)
Gasoline kind: Common gasoline
Base value: $52,785 (not together with $1335 vacation spot cost)
Choices on check car: Particular paint ($495), Terracotta Inside Coloration Bundle ($295), carpeted flooring mats ($210)
Value as examined: $55,120
Fast Hits
The good: Premium cabin appointments, beneficiant passenger house
The nice: Loads of energy, respectable gasoline financial system, long-trip consolation, rugged off-road look, some off-road cred
The not so good: Disappointing gasoline financial system
Tom Appel:
Per Wikipedia, Brutalism is a post-war architectural motion centered in the UK that includes sturdy, easy designs and loads of naked, raw-material surfacing. The motion began within the Fifties, and was principally exhausted by the Eighties. Examples within the U.S. are restricted, although Boston’s Metropolis Corridor is a well known, and extremely controversial instance.

Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
Closely up to date for 2023, I’m making the case that the Kia Telluride—particularly in X-Professional trim—is designed within the Brutalist custom, that includes a robust and easy profile and uncluttered flanks. To have a good time the Telluride’s structure, I photographed the large Kia in entrance of the one Brutalist construction discovered within the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. Inbuilt 1977, the Day by day Herald Constructing is tough to overlook as your journey west out of Chicago on the Jane Addams Expressway.
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Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
However, for as sturdy and easy because the Telluride appears, the 2023 lineup is slightly far reaching and considerably advanced. For ’23, the Telluride trim ladder begins with the bottom-rung LX (beginning round $37,000) and ascends by way of S ($39,000), EX ($43,000), EX X-Line ($47,000), SX ($47,000), SX X-Line ($50,000), SX X-Professional ($51,000), SX Status ($52,000), SX Status X-Line ($53,000), and SX Status X-Professional ($54,000).
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2023 Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
The brand new-for-2023 X-Line and X-Professional trim ranges, accessible at a variety of value factors, convey an off-road look to the up to date Telluride, and within the case of the X-Professional, a little bit of further functionality as nicely. The X-Line gear group features a new Tow Mode, beefier roof rails, a redesigned grille, and trim-level particular 20-inch wheels. The X-line additionally enjoys roughly half an inch extra floor clearance than different Tellurides.
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Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
The extra off-road succesful X-Professional trades the 20-inch wheels for 18-inch items shod with all-terrain tires, virtually an inch of further floor clearance, and 12-volt and 110-volt energy shops within the cargo space. All X-Line and X-Professional fashions come normal with AWD.
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2023 Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
Kia’s midsize crossover is a step up in measurement and energy from the model’s Sorento, and options three rows of seating on all trim ranges, and locations for 7 or 8, relying on whether or not on not a selected instance options 2nd-row captain’s chairs.
All Tellurides are powered by the identical 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 mated to an 8-speed computerized transmission. No matter trim degree, front-wheel-drive Tellurides earn an EPA mix fuel-economy estimate of 23 mpg, whereas AWD fashions are rated at 21.
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2023 Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
Client Information not too long ago spent every week with the top-trim SX Status X-Professional in Midnight Lake Blue. We got here away very impressed. As savvy auto consumers would possibly know, the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade are shut cousins mechanically, however the two crossovers are styled and tuned in another way, and particular model affect will be profound. We’ll get again to that in a second.
Our latest analysis of the Palisade Calligraphy left us very impressed, particularly the extent of luxurious the car serves up in top-trim Calligraphy guise. Whereas the Telluride isn’t meaningfully much less posh, its common décor theme is of a woodsier nature, consistent with the X-Professional gear.
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2023 Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
Excellent news: The X-Professional’s elevated trip top doesn’t complicate moving into or out of the Telluride, although the chance to brush your pantleg towards the doubtless soiled exterior of the automotive is marginally larger.
Contained in the Telluride the Brutalism theme falls aside. The massive Kia is comfy and lots roomy within the entrance two seating row. The third row is massive for the category, although most adults will begrudge having to spend an excessive amount of time again there. The management structure is typical Hyundai/Kia sensible, which is to say simple to learn, and straightforward to make use of. The massive touchscreen is put to good use, and frequently-used local weather and audio buttons and tabs are principally entrance and heart.
We discovered the front-row seats long-haul comfy, and outward visibility from the driving force’s seat glorious. There’s loads of energy for around-town driving and on-ramp merging, and the engine makes a nice, refined sound when tasked with one thing greater than easy commuting.
Trip consolation is great, and reality be advised, we discover the Telluride to be a more-comfortable, better-handling car than the Palisade. That stated, we strongly suggest that severe consumers check drive each automobiles.
If you happen to’re spending a number of time making an attempt to determine between the X-Line and X-Professional variants of the Telluride, don’t overthink the choice. The X-Professional doesn’t ask a lot in alternate for its usually beefier disposition, and it rides and handles about in addition to any Telluride. And, getting again to the precise tuning Hyundai and Kia apply to their variations of this truck—as famous above–we favor, ever so barely, the Kia’s sportier trip and dealing with, and barely quieter freeway expertise.
One in all our main issues relating to the Telluride on this trim degree is that buyers are unlikely to recollect their truck’s full correct identify. Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional is a number of identify. To make issues easier for house owners, we propose going with a nickname, Exy or Professional Professional, maybe.
The up to date Telluride was not made accessible to Client Information in time for 2023 Finest Purchase consideration. Had it been, it appears possible this sensible, luxurious, high-value Kia would have made our listing. And, even when it isn’t a 2023 Finest Purchase, we strongly suggest you add it to your test-drive quick listing.
Oh, and for those who’re an structure fan, we strongly suggest going with the Brutalist-aligned X-Professional.
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Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional
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Kia Telluride SX Status X-Professional Gallery
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