The Kia Telluride’s Rise: From Newcomer to Athens’ Favorite 3-Row SUV

When the Kia Telluride launched for the 2020 model year, plenty of longtime SUV shoppers around Athens were skeptical. Kia hadn’t built a true 3-row family flagship before, and the segment was already crowded with established names. A few years and multiple award seasons later, the Telluride has become one of the most requested SUVs at dealerships across Georgia — including right here in Athens.

How It Won Drivers Over:

The Telluride’s boxy, upright design broke from the swoopy crossover look most competitors leaned into, giving it genuine three-row usability instead of a cramped third row as an afterthought. Athens families running kids between practices near Loop 10 and weekend trips out toward Watkinsville found that extra room mattered.

Awards and Recognition:

• Multiple “Best 3-Row SUV” rankings from major automotive publications
• Consistently high owner satisfaction and resale value scores
• Recognized for standard safety tech across nearly every trim level

What It Offers Today:

The current Telluride seats up to eight, offers up to 87 cu ft of cargo space with the seats folded, and comes standard with Highway Driving Assist on most trims. A 3.8L V6 making 291 hp gives it real towing capability — up to 5,500 lbs — for families who need it.

Why It Fits Athens:

Between UGA game-day traffic, youth sports carpools, and weekend drives out Prince Avenue toward the lake, the Telluride has proven itself as a genuine daily driver rather than a garage showpiece.

Ownership Experience Today:

Current Telluride owners around Athens consistently point to two things: cabin quality that feels a step above its price point, and a driving experience that doesn’t feel like piloting a full-size SUV despite the interior room. Ride quality on longer stretches like the Athens Perimeter stays composed, and the standard suite of driver-assist features takes real pressure off long carpool routes.

Trim Evolution:

Since launch, Kia has steadily expanded the Telluride lineup — adding the off-road-focused X-Pro trim and the more premium X-Line — giving Athens buyers more ways to configure the SUV around how they actually use it, whether that’s weekend trips to North Georgia trailheads or straightforward suburban duty.

What’s Next:

With a next-generation redesign on the horizon, current Telluride values remain strong, and outgoing-generation models continue to hold their own against newer competitors — a sign of just how well the original formula was executed.

Comparing Generations:

Early Telluride buyers around Athens who’ve since traded up to newer model years consistently point to two areas of improvement: refined driver-assist tuning that feels less intrusive on daily drives, and continued upgrades to the standard infotainment system. Kia’s approach of steadily improving the formula rather than chasing a full redesign every few years has helped the Telluride avoid the awkward mid-cycle stumbles that hurt some competitors.

How It Compares to Its Own Segment:

Against 3-row rivals like the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, the Telluride has consistently out-priced its cargo and passenger space, giving Athens families more usable interior room per dollar spent — a big part of why it became a fixture in school pickup lines across town rather than a niche pick.

Pricing shown is MSRP and excludes destination, tax, title, and dealer fees. See Bulldog Kia for full details and current offers.