Kia Telluride Safety: How Does it Stack Up?

Cathleen V
Dec 14, 2020

There are many full-size SUVs to choose from, which makes the process of actually deciding on one pretty confusing. Thankfully, if safety is a factor, the Kia Telluride safety rating is among the best in its class.

What is the Kia Tellurides safety rating?

The 2020 Kia Telluride has a five-star NHTSA rating and is a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. Combined with the 4.64-Star Owner and 4.8-Star Expert Review Ratings from Vehicle History, and you’ve got one outstanding vehicle.

But safety isn’t only determined by how the vehicle performs in a collision; instead, many other factors come into play. In this article, we’ll give the Telluride a solid review, providing you with all the details you’ll need to determine if this awesome SUV is right for you.

Kia Telluride Crash Test Rating

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Test/Results

Green 2020 Kia Telluride In Motion

In this organization’s rating and review, the Telluride receives good marks across the board, with the exception of “acceptable” to “poor” ratings for the headlights, based on trim, as well as “acceptable” ratings for ease of use of the LATCH system.

However, the sheer amount of standard and available safety features really make the Telluride stand out from the crowd in this review. Some of these include standard running lights, blind-spot detection, and lane departure warning and prevention.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Test/Results

For the 2020 and 2021 model years, the NHTSA has given the Telluride, in both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions, five-star reviews. The organization gives the vehicles four stars for front-collision accidents and rollover situations and provided “exceptional” marks for side barrier and pole crash scenarios.

In these tests, the NHTSA did not note any irregularities in the vehicle’s response to a crash, as may be noted in some vehicles. Examples include intrusion into the passenger compartment or high G-forces on some parts of the body that could cause significant injury.

Kia Telluride Available Safety Tech

Drive Wise Surround View Monitor

This feature delivers a bird’s-eye view of your vehicle, which allows you to clearly see everything around you as you’re backing out of a tough parking space.

It takes images from multiple cameras on the vehicle and combines them to provide a view of what your vehicle’s surroundings look like from above.

Rear and Available Front Distance Warning

Car Collision Avoidance Signal

This feature makes it much easier to park your Telluride quickly and without any damage. Regular sonar readouts help determine how much space you have behind (or in front) to a parked vehicle or obstacle.

Safe Exit Assist

This is a great feature for families with children, as it monitors traffic coming up behind you. If it senses a vehicle approaching your Telluride, the vehicle automatically engages the child locks for the back seat, preventing rear-seat occupants from opening the door until it is safe to do so.

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist With Pedestrian Detection

Forward Collision Avoidance System

When a pedestrian suddenly walks out from between trucks while you’re on a busy city street or a vehicle slams on its brakes ahead of you, can you react in time? With this feature, it’s okay if your reflexes are a little slow. The Telluride applies the brakes for you.

Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist

Distracted driving makes it easy to have an accident, but with so much going on in your life, this feature helps keep you safe.

By monitoring the lanes around you, the Telluride lets you know if you’re leaving your lane. If you continue doing so, it will apply steering correction to keep you safely in your own lane.

Here’s What Other People Also Ask:

How Much is a Fully Loaded Kia Telluride?

A fully-loaded Kia Telluride is around $50,000, but it includes a wide range of features that makes this full-size SUV compete with luxury brands such as BMW. This gives you Quiet Mode, which focuses sound and audio in the front seat, diffusion air vents to quickly heat or cool rear seats, and so much more.

Which is Better, Telluride or Palisade?

When it comes to a head-to-head comparison, the Telluride beats out the Palisade in terms of price, seat comfort, cargo space, interior quality, fuel economy, and safety. They tie for reliability, interior features, acceleration, handling and ride. The Palisade won none of the categories in the U.S. News comparison.

Why is the Kia Telluride So Popular?

The Telluride has launched Kia to new heights, reaching over 5,000 units its first month and topping over 6,000 units per month, with dealers often having cars on the lot for barely over a week before they’re sold. The main selling point is the exceptional value it provides, with features you’d expect in a luxury brand.

Is the Kia Telluride Good in Snow?

AWD is optional on all trims, while a simple selection allows you to choose how much power is sent to each wheel. These drive modes include Snow, Comfort, Eco, Sport and Smart options, allowing you to dial in exactly what you need for snowy roads.

avatar Cathleen V
Cathleen V is an exceptional freelance writer covering hot topics in the automotive world from a gearhead’s perspective. Whether it’s the Mercedes-Benz A-class economy and Jeep ruggedness to Challenger Hellcat and Tesla semi capabilities, you’ll discover outstanding intel and research.
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