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2027 Kia Telluride: Hidden in Plain Sight

Kia’s flagship SUV prepares for its next act — wrapped, rugged, and ready for the spotlight.

The Kia Telluride has spent the better part of five years proving it’s more than just a handsome face in a segment full of lumbering three-row SUVs. It’s become the darling of suburban driveways and overland Instagram feeds alike. Now, as the all-new 2027 model readies for its global debut on November 20 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Kia is giving us a tantalizing taste of what’s to come—without really showing us anything at all.

This week, Kia dropped a set of images and a high-action video of a camouflaged pre-production Telluride storming through California’s Alabama Hills, its body cloaked in a kaleidoscopic wrap that could double as modern art. Forget the usual black-and-white swirls of spy prototypes; this one looks like Keith Haring met a CAD designer and decided to go hiking.

“Designing a wrap for Telluride is far different than designing the vehicle beneath the vinyl,” said Tom Kearns, Kia America’s Vice President and Senior Chief Designer. “We decided to approach the project from a different angle—hiding it in plain sight.”

Art Meets Engineering

The wrap is more than camouflage—it’s concept art. The design overlays hundreds of Telluride sketches, intersecting outlines and silhouettes that obscure the SUV’s shape while simultaneously hinting at it. Kearns and his team drew inspiration from Mr. Doodle (Sam Cox) and Keith Haring, artists who mastered chaos through simple lines. The end result: a rolling storyboard of the Telluride’s design evolution, finished in a color gradient that fades from warm orange to cool purple. Orange ties into the SUV’s amber DRLs up front; purple closes the loop at the rear, mirroring Kia’s “Opposites United” philosophy.

Introduced in 2021 by Karim Habib, Kia’s Executive VP and Head of Global Design, “Opposites United” blends natural contrasts—sharp versus sculptural, tension versus serenity, power versus grace—into a unified design language. And yes, even a camouflage wrap can channel that.

Geography Lesson Included

Look closely and you’ll spot map coordinates printed along the lower doors: 37.9375° N, 107.8123° W. Punch that into your GPS, and you’ll land in Telluride, Colorado, the SUV’s namesake. It’s a wink from Kia to enthusiasts who pay attention—one that connects the model’s identity to its rugged aspirations.

Trail-Tested Tease

Unlike most camouflaged test mules caught loafing on highways, Kia’s prototype went full adventure mode for its close-up. Filmed in the otherworldly terrain of the Alabama Hills, with the Sierra Nevada peaks looming in the distance, the Telluride prototype tackled steep grades, sandy washes, and rocky ledges like a vehicle with serious off-road credentials to prove.

“We wanted to show just how capable the all-new Telluride is,” said Russell Wager, Vice President of Marketing for Kia America. “Placing it in an environment that really pushed the boundaries gave us that opportunity.”

And that’s the point. Beneath the artistic disguise and clever marketing lies a serious test of engineering. Kia’s not only setting up the Telluride for its next generation of buyers—they’re reminding everyone that the badge on the hood has earned its place among the segment’s heavyweights.

What’s Next

Beyond the wrap and wilderness theatrics, details on the 2027 Telluride remain tightly under wraps—literally. Expect a full reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20, where the camouflage comes off and Kia’s next-gen SUV shows its true face. If the current model’s trajectory is any indication, the new Telluride won’t just evolve—it’ll redefine what family luxury looks like in the mainstream SUV market.

Until then, this camouflaged crossover has done its job: keeping secrets while commanding attention.

Source: KIA

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2026 Kia EV4 GT: The Electric Hot Hatch That Aims Straight at the Golf R

Kia’s not done turning heads in the EV world. Fresh off the success of the ballistic EV6 GT, the Korean automaker is doubling down on its performance ambitions with something smaller, sharper, and arguably even more intriguing — the upcoming EV4 GT.

The car won’t officially land until 2026, but Kia just pulled the wraps — or rather, the GT Wrap — off a working prototype at the Car of the Year “Tannistest” in northern Denmark. The camouflage may hide its final styling, but the intent is crystal clear: this is Kia’s take on the electric hot hatch, and it’s coming for the Volkswagen Golf R’s crown.

A Compact Shockwave

At first glance, the EV4 GT sits lower, wider, and more planted than the standard EV4. Kia calls it a hatchback, but its proportions read more like a performance coupe with extra doors — think Golf R meets Ioniq 5 N. Beneath the matte foil disguise are wider arches and a subtle bodykit that hints at muscle without screaming for attention.

New 20-inch alloys wrapped in 245/45 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber fill the wells, backed by upgraded brakes with neon green calipers — a color that reappears throughout the car as Kia’s new GT signature. The prototype even carries a dash of menace, with that stealthy “GT Wrap” doing little to hide the taut stance of something built for real-world fun rather than Nürburgring lap times.

Power to Both Ends

Underneath, things get serious. The EV4 GT swaps the base car’s single-motor setup for a twin-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration, bringing combined output to roughly 400 horsepower. Early data from onboard loggers points to a 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) time around five seconds flat, putting it right in the crosshairs of the Golf R and Audi S3.

Power is nothing without control, and here’s where Manfred Harrer, Kia’s head of vehicle development — and former Porsche chassis wizard — comes in. Harrer has promised a new level of steering feel and driver involvement for the brand, and sources suggest the EV4 GT’s steering system has undergone a significant overhaul. Expect precision and feedback where most EVs deliver numb isolation.

Everyday Speed, Not Track Masochism

Despite its credentials, the EV4 GT isn’t chasing lap records. Harrer’s philosophy is clear: Kia’s GT models should deliver everyday sportiness — excitement that works on real roads, not just racetracks. The EV4 GT’s chassis tuning reportedly strikes a balance between comfort and control, with revised suspension components and geometry that favor agility without punishing ride quality.

This makes sense. Few Golf R owners ever see a pit lane; what they want is confidence on a twisty backroad and composure on the commute. Kia seems to be hitting that same target.

Inside the Green Glow

The cabin is still technically prototype-spec, but it already feels special. Deeply bolstered sport seats wrapped in Alcantara-like materials hold you low and tight, creating the illusion of a lowered driving position even if the mounting points haven’t changed. The neon green accents from the exterior continue inside — from the seatbelts and stitching to the door cards, driver display graphics, and that unmistakable GT Mode button on the steering wheel.

Hit that button, and expect the EV4 GT to sharpen throttle response, firm up damping, and unlock the car’s most focused powertrain setting — the full-fat, road-ready version of Kia’s newfound performance identity.

The Verdict So Far

We’re still a year out from seeing the production-ready EV4 GT, but based on this early look, Kia isn’t just dipping its toes into the hot hatch pool — it’s cannonballing in. The company’s performance ambitions are no longer just about power numbers; they’re about character, feedback, and the kind of driving engagement that used to be reserved for Europe’s finest.

If the EV4 GT delivers on its promise, it could mark another pivotal moment for Kia — one where “fun to drive” becomes a defining trait, not an exception.

Source: Kia

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Kia Telluride: The SUV That Broke the Aging Curve

For most cars, hitting middle age means one thing: the slow, inevitable slide into obscurity. The paint fades, the shine dulls, and the sales charts begin to sag like a cheap suspension under too much luggage.

But not the Kia Telluride.

This big, square-jawed family bus from Korea has been defying the laws of showroom physics. It’s been around since 2019, which, in SUV years, is roughly two monarchs and three iPhones ago — yet it’s selling better than ever. Last year, Kia shifted an eyebrow-raising 115,504 Tellurides in the U.S., and 2025 is shaping up to be another record-breaker. Through September, it’s already up 13 percent. In other words: while other SUVs are losing steam, the Telluride is out here doing CrossFit.

Still, even immortals need a replacement eventually. And come November 20th, at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show, Kia will pull the covers off the second-generation Telluride. Don’t rush to your dealer just yet, though — the new one won’t actually arrive until the 2027 model year, likely in the back half of next year. The current model soldiers on for one more lap as the 2025MY, proving you can be both old and desirable if you’ve got the right proportions.

Now, Kia’s teasing us — literally — with a pair of moody teaser shots. The SUV lurks in the shadows like a heavyweight boxer waiting for the bell. What we can see looks… promising. Still boxy, still bold, but now wearing Kia’s sharper, more futuristic design language. There are vertical lights at both ends, and the face has a whiff of EV9 about it — though, unlike its electric cousin, the Telluride keeps a proper grille because, well, this one still burns dinosaur juice.

Speaking of which, under the bonnet things are expected to mirror its corporate cousin, the new Hyundai Palisade. Translation: you’ll have two main options. A good old-fashioned 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 with 287 horsepower for the traditionalists, or a hybrid setup pairing a 2.5-litre turbo four-cylinder with twin electric motors, good for 329 horses and 339 lb-ft. Both setups will come in two- or four-wheel drive — and neither sounds like it’ll have any trouble dragging a family, a trailer, or an ego uphill.

Size-wise, brace yourself for more of everything. Hyundai has stretched the Palisade by around 2.5 inches overall, with a 2.7-inch longer wheelbase, meaning your third-row passengers might actually feel like humans rather than luggage. Expect the Telluride to follow suit — bigger, broader, taller — a subtle evolution from “handsome” to “don’t-mess-with-me” territory.

Price? The outgoing Telluride starts at $37,885, while the latest Palisade kicks off at $41,035. Expect Kia’s new flagship SUV to move a little upmarket — not by much, but enough to let you know it’s serious about the premium family hauler game.

So there you have it. The Telluride story isn’t ending — it’s just leveling up. The old one still sells like hotcakes, and the new one looks ready to keep the momentum rolling. In an age of electric revolution and crossover clones, Kia’s big gas-burning bruiser is proof that sometimes, old-school still sells — especially when it looks this good doing it.

Source: KIA