• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, Yesterday

Kia already had a runaway success with the old Telluride. 

But the automaker is not content to rest on its laurels. The 2027 Kia Telluride offers both better fuel economy and more off-road capability along with envelope-pushing style improvements.

To show off that fantastic driving range (637 miles) of the Kia Telluride Hybrid Electric Vehicle, the automaker recently debuted a heartfelt spot from AOR David & Goliath that shows a boy taking his stuffed sea lion with him on a road trip. The vehicle passes through different types of terrain before the two ultimately stop at a seaside cliff. 

“They traverse down to the water and see the sea lions,” says Russell Wager, Kia vice president of marketing. “The child’s little stuffed sea lion and the real sea lions meet.”

The spot has a similar creative premise as Jeep’s recent “Billy Bass Goes to the River,” but with a much kinder and gentler ending. Wager tells DriveTime the Kia spot was in production back in October long before the Jeep spot debuted, and any creative similarities are a complete coincidence. No CGI was used, but the ad does feature a well-trained sea lion.

“I like to think our spots are emotionally engaging,” Wager says. "People can see themselves doing it. Whether somebody is going to go on a road trip to go see sea lions or not, they're going to go on a road trip.”

The spot, which broke last week, was timed to correspond with the period when dealers have adequate inventory, he says. 

“This is our most important launch since the original Telluride launch,” Wager says. “It helps take the brand to the next level, and we're putting all the resources behind it.”

Kia has nothing to worry about sales-wise. The automaker is celebrating eight straight years of increased retail sales, with Telluride sales alone jumping 108% from 59,000 in 2019 to 123,000 in 2025. 

And the company thinks there’s still room to grow, which is why the West Point, Georgia facility where cars are built is increasing its capacity to 180,000 units this year. 

The new three-row Telluride is 2.3 inches longer, as much as an inch taller (depending on the trim level)  and rides on a 2.7-inch-longer wheelbase.  But it doesn’t feel “too big," and has a surprisingly agreeable turning radius (yes, I did a legal U-turn just to make sure.)

You might first notice one of the vehicle’s new style difference after it passes you. The squared-off rear end has been described by several writers as Range Rover-esque, and I would not disagree. 

The automaker proclaims that the new Telluride is bigger, bolder and still proudly boxy. Yet it's nearly 10% more aerodynamic than the previous generation.

The base price of the Telluride LX s $39,190 plus $1,545 destination. If you plan to go offroad, the X-Pro edition starts at $53,690 plus $1,545 destination. 

Bottom line, it packs a lot of value for a full-size SUV.