The Kia Telluride is hardly the first vehicle that comes to mind when considering a capable off-roader, but it’s actually better at one thing than some serious off-road machinery: wading through deep water. Motor1 crunched the numbers on the spec sheet of the new 2027 X-Pro model and then confirmed them with Kia to make sure, and the Telluride has a wading depth of 38.6 inches. That’s mighty impressive, and more so when you consider that some SUVs with a reputation for going off the beaten path can’t match it, including some from Land Rover and Ford.
2027 Kia Telluride X-Pro Goes Deep, But One EV Goes Deeper
The Telluride X-Pro’s wading depth of 38.6 inches places it ahead of the Defender 110 and the Ford Bronco Raptor, which can manage 35.4 inches and 37.0 inches, respectively. It’s not enough to outperform the Rivian R1S, however, which scrapes ahead with a spec-sheet wading depth of 39.0 inches. Naturally, all three of those Telluride alternatives are far more capable in just about every other area off-road, but at least it means you may not be stranded should you experience a flood. Kia quotes 9.1 inches of ground clearance versus 8.4 inches in the old X-Pro, and there are recovery points at each end of the vehicle, as well as a Terrain Mode to better cope with slippery surfaces.
This is a vehicle most owners will never take off asphalt, and the few that do will likely be driving on gravel roads, not attempting to conquer Moab, so the fact that Kia has made it relatively capable off-road is a bonus. Perhaps it will someday become to trail enthusiasts what the first-gen Porsche Cayenne has—a slightly overengineered SUV that can go anywhere with a few select aftermarket upgrades. Granted, the Porsche was more than slightly overengineered, but you see what we’re getting at.
Several Changes to the Latest Telluride
For the new model year, the Telluride drops the V6 for good, replacing it with a turbocharged four-cylinder, despite its corporate sibling, the new Hyundai Palisade, retaining the six-cylinder engine. This was done to improve emissions, but also torque, which has jumped from 262 lb-ft in the old 3.8-liter to 311 lb-ft in the new 2.5-liter. Towing capacity has remained the same at 5,000 lbs unless you opt for the new hybrid, which drops capacity to 4,500 lbs, adding electric motors and a 1.65kWh lithium-ion battery for totals of 329 hp and 339 lb-ft. The new vehicle is also more aerodynamic than its predecessor, with a drag coefficient of 0.30 compared to the old model’s 0.33, despite growing in length by 2.3 inches and gaining 2.7 inches in its wheelbase. Pricing starts at $39,190 for the non-hybrid and $46,490 for the HEV, but the X-Pro SX Prestige starts at $57,790 and is not available with the electrified powertrain.
