Motoring: Clairvoyant car

Kia Telluride, a five-door SUV, debuted for the 2020 model year. Now, in 2024, it's available in five trim levels: LX, S, EX, SX, and SX Prestige, and further delineated by X-Line versions of LX and X-Pro iterations of the SX and SX-Prestige.

Beneath the hood resides a naturally aspirated 291 horsepower V-6 engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph takes about 7.5 seconds, an appropriate elapsed time for a car of this class. Front-wheel drive is standard. All-wheel drive, priced at $2,000, is a worthwhile option on all trims except for the SX Prestige, where it is standard equipment.

After driving a Telluride for a week, I more thoroughly understand the notion of driverless cars. This five-door SUV's heart and soul is an all-knowing, all-seeing electronic control mode. Besides managing the affairs of the engine and transmission, it pays attention to the surroundings. Car lurking in your blind spot? It knows and quickly sounds an alert. Creeping up too close to the vehicle in front of you? It knows and will let you know. Want to pass a slow poke dawdling along on a two-lane highway? Signal a turn with the blinker, take both hands off the wheel, and Telluride makes the transition to the other lane hands-free.

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Standard safety features include Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, Lane Change Side and Steering Assist, Navigation-based Smart Cruise, Cross — Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, surround view monitor, and blind-spot View Monitor. Kia's adaptive cruise control operates at speeds as slowly as one mile an hour.

Besides being nearly clairvoyant, the Telluride SUV is easy on the eyes. For the 2024 model year, it benefits from minor exterior styling updates, including amber daytime running lights. Black gloss replaces dark metallic exterior trim on the bumpers, lower door garnish, grille surround, and headlight bezels on upscale X-Line and X-Pro models.

SX trim’s near-luxury features include leather upholstery, a 12-way power driver's seat with memory, heated /ventilated rear seats, second-row captain's chairs, front and rear sunroofs, a 10-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo, heads-up display, and black-painted 20-inch rims.

The build quality is superb. The cabin is commodious, with plenty of elbow room. Seven or eight passengers can be accommodated on rear benches or second-row captain's chairs. Behind the third-row bench, we find ample storage for luggage or groceries. I like Kia's Driver Talk for the way it amplifies a driver's voice through speakers in the back two rows to better converse with passengers. The Infotainment system's 12.3-inch touch screen includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, in-dash navigation, and onboard Wi-Fi. Noteworthy options include a 110-volt inverter and wireless smartphone charging.

Outside noise is very nearly inaudible, which means a luxury-car-quiet cabin even at freeway speeds. That said, you hear the engine's vague murmurings, but it never raises its voice to a growl.

Ground clearance measures 8.4 inches. Both FWD and AWD are rated at 5,000 pounds towing capacity. Both tow hitch and trailer wiring harness are optional. A self-leveling rear air suspension is a must-have option, especially for towing.

And finally, for the fifth year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has awarded Telluride as the best 3-row mid-size SUV in its Best Cars for Families based on safety, reliability, seating and cargo volume, and family-friendly features.

Tim Banse, wrote The Gazette's Motoring car review column from 1989 to 2013 and has published stories in Popular Mechanics and Yachting magazine. He's toured carmaker factory floors in the U.S. and Japan and raced cars at Riverside, Watkins Glen, and Michigan International Raceway press events. He's stood close enough to a crash test to feel the shock wave reverberate off his chest. His first car was a vintage '56 Chevy Belair.