2022 Kia Telluride

The 2022 Kia Telluride doesn't get any major changes for this year and comes in the same four trims LX, S, EX, and SX just like last year. As for the features being added, for 2022 Telluride gained a 10.25-inch touchscreen, dual-zone automatic climate control, and navigation-based cruise control as standard. The mechanicals this year is also the same as in you get a 3.8-liter V6 engine along with the option of FWD or AWD drivetrain. The prices of the 2022 Telluride for the base LX trim starts at $32,790 and go up to $44,590 for the topmost SX trim.

Other than the standard features listed in the table above the 2022 Telluride also offers a few extra features in the form of an optional package. Speaking of which the EX Premium package includes LED headlights and a 2nd-row captain’s chair. SX Prestige package includes heated and ventilated second-row seats, automatic windshield wiper, premium Nappa leather upholstery, head-up display, and a premium headliner. Optional Towing package available on EX and SX includes a tow hitch with trailer wiring harness connector and self-leveling rear suspension. 

With unchanged mechanicals, the gas mileage of the 2022 Kia Telluride too hasn't changed from last year. The 2022 Telluride has an EPA estimated gas mileage of 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. If you go for the AWD version the gas mileage drops to 1 MPG in the city and 2 MPG on the highway.

These figures are still acceptable considering that the Telluride has a big gas-guzzling V6 under its hood. With a large 18.8-gallon fuel tank, the Telluride manages a decent range of 356 miles in the city and 489 miles on the highways.

As for the rivals, it is very clear from the above table that the Nissan Pathfinder is the most fuel-efficient in the city while on the highway the Pilot has the best gas mileage. Another ace up Pilot's sleeve is the slightly bigger fuel tank which translates into a longer range between tankful to a tankful. While sitting at the other end is the Hyundai Palisade which is the least efficient in the city and under mixed driving conditions.

The 2022 Kia Telluride cabin has been slightly updated its cabin with more premium material, a bigger touchscreen, and dual-zone automatic climate, the latter two are now offered as standard. The dashboard sports a sharp yet elegant design with ergonomically placed controls to focus on maximum driver engagement. The materials used are of high quality with soft-touch materials dominating the dashboard and door panels. 

Like last year, passengers can choose from either an 8-seater configuration or a 7-seater configuration which is available with a second-row captain’s chair. The latter option is a family favorite as it makes it easier to access the third-row seats. The seats are also in a league of their own, with premium Nappa leather seating surfaces and heating and ventilation for the first two rows being offered as an option to give it a touch of opulence. 

The infotainment system as said above has now been upsized to a 10.25-inch unit as standard across the trim levels for the 2022 Kia Telluride. The system also includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a 6-speaker audio system as standard. While higher trims get satellite radio, a 10-speaker Harman & Kardon premium sound system, wireless smartphone charging, and a few more gizmos.

The front seats are wide and supportive, with ample legroom and headroom to cater to individuals of all sizes. The front seats get an upgrade with power adjustability and lumbar support on higher trims. The rear seats can be reclined and feature adequate headroom and legroom even for tall passengers. The third-row seats are also surprisingly comfortable, although stretching out your leg can be a bit of an issue here.

In terms of interior dimensions, the Kia Telluride along with the Palisade sits right at the top of its segment. Its roomy interior and bigger passenger volume are only matched by the Honda Pilot. Although the Telluride beats the Pilot with a better 21 cubic feet of cargo space while the Pilot only gets 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space.

Interior Features::

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 8-way power-adjsutable front seats (optional)
• Driver seat memory function (optional)
• Heated and ventilated front and second-row seats (optional)
• Heated steering wheel (optional)

Since the 2022 Kia Telluride is mostly a carryover model, we see only minimal changes to its exteriors. The most noticeable among them is the updated Kia logo sitting on the grille while the chrome grille has been replaced with an all-black grille. That said, Telluride’s exterior design always had a mixed share of responses from various Kia enthusiasts. Some say its bold styling, which includes a prominent tiger-nose grille and a striking tail with eye-catching visual cues is too polarizing. 

Nevertheless, the Kia Telluride is a macho SUV in its sense, with its rugged looks, long side profile, and bold body lines. Styling elements like the chrome surround around the window line, the lower-side body panels, the front air intakes, and skid plates add muscle to Telluride’s rugged personality. The 18-inch wheels and the larger 20-inch wheels go well with the crossover but we prefer the latter for better ride quality.

Speaking of dimensions, the 2022 Telluride is 196.9-inches in length, 78.3-inches wide, 69.3-inches tall, sits 8.0-inches high from the ground, and has 114.2-inches of wheelbase. Compared to it the Pathfinder is longer by 0.8-inches and taller by 2-inches. In terms of width, the Pilot is 0.3-inches wider than the Telluride but has a 3.2-inches smaller wheelbase compared to it. Another noticeable thing here is that except for the Pilot rest all SUVs share a similar wheelbase of 114.2-inches.

Exterior Features:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Front and rear skid plate
• Projector-beam headlights
• Rear spoiler
• Power sunroof (optional)
• 20-inch alloy wheels (optional)
• All-LED exterior lights (optional)
• Power liftgate (optional)

When it comes to safety the Kia Telluride is a prime example of Kia's persistence towards making safer vehicles. The 2021 Telluride was given five out of five stars by the NHTSA and the IIHS awarded it with the ‘Top Safety Pick’ award thanks to its ‘Superior’ crash prevention measures and the highest ‘Good’ safety rating in almost every test. The 2022 Kia Telluride builds on the same line and scored the highest rating of 'Good' in all its six parameters from IIHS and as for the NHTSA, it scored a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars for overall safety ratings. 

Kia includes a full-fledged safety suite for the 2022 Telluride, just like its 2021 predecessor. Also, for this year the Telluride has added navigation-based cruise control as standard which is in short a semi-adaptive cruise control. While other safety features like blind-spot monitors, automatic emergency braking, active lane control, lane departure assist, Kia’s safe exit assist, to name a few are standard just like the last year.

Safety Features:

• Lane departure warning w/ Lane keep assist
• Blind-spot view monitor & Rear cross-traffic alert
• Head-up display (optional)
• Front parking sensors (optional)
• Rain-sensing windshield wiper (optional)
• Surround-view parking camera (optional)
• Automatic high-beam headlights (optional)

2022 Kia Telluride vs 2022 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and the Telluride are well-round SUVs and on paper comes with identical equipment and feature list. However, the Telluride has bragging rights in terms of higher power figures and better cabin space. Also, if you happen to have a peek at the interiors the differences begin to show up, as the Telluride gets a more modern and upscale interior compared to the Pathfinder.

The Pathfinder on the other hand redeems itself with better performance and good gas mileage. As a final call, the Telluride looks like an SUV adept with the changing trends while the Pathfinder although isn't as spacious as the Telluride is far more engaging and fun-to-drive than the Telluride.

2022 Kia Telluride vs 2022 Hyundai Palisade

These two Korean stalwarts are almost identical mechanically and as a package. However, look closely and you may notice some fundamental differences between the two. For starters, the Telluride offers better fuel economy than the Palisade. The Telluride also offers more cargo space behind its 3rd-row of seats. The design language used in the interiors also highlights a major difference between these two.

The overall picture is clear- if you want to chauffeur your family around within a luxurious package, the Palisade is the right choice. However, if you desire a more youthful and rugged vehicle that is bang on the buck, the Telluride is the one that meets your requirements.

2022 Kia Telluride vs 2022 Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is a splendid crossover that gets a less powerful engine and yet is quicker in terms of acceleration and also delivers better gas mileage compared to the Telluride. But when you come to interior and cargo space the Telluride takes the lead against the Pilot.

That said, come 2022 the price gap between the two crossovers has widened and the Telluride being the cheaper of the two seems a better bargain if though the Pilot offers better performance and fuel efficiency.

For 2022, Kia Telluride is packed with all the latest features and has an equally distinctive style to book its place among the top crossover SUVs in the market. The Telluride moves forward with no major changes for 2022, as the current lineup of trims and features has already earned rave reviews from its audience. 

Its splendid interior space and cargo versatility make it a top choice for modern families. Although the naturally aspirated V6 engine is a letdown in the otherwise perfect SUV. That aside, the 2022 Telluride still offers the right mix of features and practicality that too at a bargain price of below $34,000 marking another successful year for it.