Kia’s strategic North American sports utility vehicle (SUV) model, Telluride, was ranked among the top three models in the U.S. large three-row SUV market last year. The model was developed specifically for the U.S. market, reflecting local characteristics and successfully meeting customer needs.
According to the industry, on the 18th, Kia Telluride sold 110,765 units in the U.S. market last year. This is a 10.89% increase compared to the previous year (99,891 units). Although it showed a slight decline in the fourth quarter of the same year, selling 26,784 units, a 2.94% decrease compared to the previous year (27,595 units), overall, it achieved double-digit growth.
The Telluride is a large SUV model specifically designed for the North American market. It was designed at the “Kia Design Center” in California, and production is handled at the Kia Georgia plant. It boasts a maximum output of 295 horsepower (ps) and a maximum torque of 36.2kgf·m, applying a gasoline 3.8 engine and 8-level automatic transmission. Continued local interest has been seen since the addition of the brand’s new off-road design package, “X-PRO,” through a partial change in 2022.
In particular, the Telluride ranked third in the local large three-row crossover vehicle market, shoulder to shoulder with Toyota’s Highlander and Chevrolet’s Traverse. Highlander sold 169,543 units, ranking first, and Traverse sold 123,555 units, ranking second. Following Telluride, Honda’s Pilot and Volkswagen’s Atlas ranked fourth and fifth, selling 100,298 and 95,675 units, respectively.
On the other hand, Hyundai’s Palisade ranked sixth with 89,509 units, unfortunately failing to enter the “top 5.” However, it sold 30,652 units in the fourth quarter of the same year, a two-digit increase of 61.91% compared to the previous year (18,932 units), which showed its future growth potential.
Kia plans to continue increasing Telluride’s sales volume this year based on localized marketing. As the local SUV market continues to grow, Telluride is expected to effectively become a star model.
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