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Every 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Explained. Which One is Right For You?

By Amos Kwon Autoblog

Updated July 3, 2026 12:20 PM

It's almost hard to believe that Kia's first three-row SUV hit the scene in 2020 and created an almost instant icon. It pulled buyers away from premium brands because it did so much for less, and it looked amazing in the process. The second-generation Telluride is here, and the waitlist is around 8-9 months in some states. It's a huge success for the brand, blowing out sales expectations with a 20% sales volume increase so far this year. The year's most impressive family SUV now gets a gas-electric hybrid variant that's even more appealing.

The 2027 Kia Telluride is bigger, more capable, and surprisingly even better looking than before. The Telluride Hybrid gets up to 35 mpg in combined driving. Every Telluride Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with itwo electric motors and a 1.65 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Together, they deliver 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque.

Comparing base prices of gas vs. hybrid, there's a substantial $7,300 price delta but you gain significant efficiency from the gas version's 22 mpg combined. There are five trim levels available for the Hybrid, half as many as the gas version, but there's still a lot to sift through. Below, we'll focus only on the hybrid trims and which one makes the most sense for you.

Telluride Hybrid EX – $46,490

The Hybrid EX is your gateway into Telluride electrification, and it's aimed squarely at families who care about fuel costs as much as comfort and style. Rather than being a bare-bones base model, the EX is filled with standard features that are often optional equipment on competitors' models. Aside from the two-tone wheels, it's really hard to tell the EX base model apart from higher trims. On top of that, the list of standard features is incredibly long with many higher end features you'd expect only on the Telluride Hybrid's higher trims.

Standard feature highlights on the EX:

18" alloy wheels with black and machined finish
LED headlights and taillights; amber LED DRLs
Automatic headlights
LED positioning lights
Gloss black roof rails
Body-colored side mirrors
Satin chrome lower window trim
Power sunroof and power liftgate
Heated, power-folding, and power-adjustable side mirrors w/ LED turn signals
Auto-dimming rearview mirror w/ HomeLink
Heated and ventilated front seats with SynTex fabric
8-way power driver's seat w/ 4-way power lumbar; 8-way power front passenger seat w/ 2-way power lumbar
12.3-inch touchscreen display w/ navigation
4.2-inch instrument display
8-speaker audio system
Tri-zone automatic climate control
One-touch tilt & sliding 2nd-row Captain's Chairs
2nd-row integrated window sunshades
Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Dual wireless smartphone chargers
6 USB-C fast charging ports (2 per row)
Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control w/ Stop & Go - Curve
Passenger Talk
4,500-lb towing capacity (with optional hitch)
Blind-Spot Collision Warning w/ Parallel Exit, Forward Collision Warning, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 1.5 w/ Pedestrian + Cyclist & Junction Turning Detection, Highway Driving Assist, In-Cabin Camera Monitoring System, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist 2, Park Distance Warning - Front and Rear, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Occupant Alert

As you can see, the features list is as long as your arm, and most of they key features found on the higher trims are already present on the base EX. Case in point, the large infotainment screen, soft SynTex seating, smart nav-based cruise control, the fancy dual charger setup, and the heated/ventilated front seats. You'll have to pay $2,000 extra for all-wheel drive. This trim level is perfect for those who don't need fancy standard extra features that drive the price up over $50k.

Telluride Hybrid SX – $51,490

The Hybrid SX is a big price jump of $5,000 over the EX, but it provides greater levels of comfort, style, tech, and safety. The larger and more dramatic gloss black wheels, more feature-rich exterior mirrors, convenient Digital Key, more seat adjustability, twin sunroofs, bigger instrument cluster, a better sound system, and a top-shelf safety suite all make the extra money worth it.

Standard feature highlights on the SX (in addition to or instead of EX features)

20-in. alloy wheels w/ black finish
Digital Key
Heated, auto-dimming, reverse tilt-down, power-folding, and power-adjustable side mirrors w/ LED turn signals, door spot light, and puddle lights
10-way power driver's seat w/ 4-way power lumbar adjustment & thigh support
Integrated memory driver's seat & side view mirrors
Dual sunroofs
Alloy sport pedals
12.3-inch instrument display
Configurable ambient lighting
Meridian premium audio system w/ 14 speakers
Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2 (Enhanced Auto Emergency Braking Technology) w/ Pedestrian, Cyclist, Junction Turning, Junction Crossing, Direct Oncoming, Lane Change Oncoming, Lane Change Side & Evasive Steering Assist Detection, Highway Driving Assist 2, Park Distance Warning - Side, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse, 360° Surround View Monitor

The SX is for buyers who want more rear seat comfort in cold and hot weather, a more immersive sound system, and the Telluride Hybrid's best and biggest configurable instrument display. The addition of the Digital Key allows you to operate the vehicle with just your smartphone, foregoing the need for the key fob. It also allows temporary remote access to your car to family and friends.

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Telluride Hybrid X-Line SX - $54,490

If Kia mirrors its gas lineup, you should very well expect hybrid versions of the X-Line trim levels. The X-Line costs $3,000 more than the SX trim and adds Kia's Terrain Mode standard all-wheel drive three specialized settings: Snow, Mud, or Sand. Darker trim gives it a distinctly stealthy look, and X-Line Telluride Hybrids get a unique grille, fancier seat styling, larger 21" wheels, and a comfy heated steering wheel. You can also upgrade to additional premium paint colors including two matte finishes unavailable EX, SX, and SX Prestige trim levels.

Standard feature highlights on the X-Line SX (in addition to or instead of SX features)

All-Wheel Drive with Terrain Mode
21" X-Line alloy wheels with black finish
LED projector fog lights
Black exterior badging
Gloss black lower window trim w/ gloss black side mirrors
High-utility gloss black roof rails
Auto rain-sensing windshield wipers
Heated steering wheel
X-Line embossed seats
X-Line liftgate lamp

For those who want off-road prowess and a darker overall look, the X-Line is the right move. While it doesn't add any advanced in-car or safety tech, it makes the Telluride Hybrid more capable in more situations. The larger wheels might make the on-road experience less compliant, but the added all-wheel drive and Terrain Mode mean this trim level is pretty solid when the pavement disappears or when inclement weather strikes.

Telluride Hybrid SX Prestige – $56,590

For $2,100 more than the X-Line SX but with similar aesthetics to the SX, the SX Prestige adds a surprising amount of amenities. The Digital Key 2.0 allows you to remote start your car, as well as lock and unlock it with the phone in your pocket. The interior also gets gussied up with fancier suede inserts, and the front seats get power bolsters and lounge-like seating adjustments. The suede headliner looks and feels premium, and 2nd-row occupants receive heated and cooled seats. It's also the lowest trim level to get the beautiful engineered wood trim on the dash and center console.

Standard Feature Highlights on the SX Prestige (in addition to or instead of X-Line SX features).

20" alloy wheels w/ black finish
Body-colored side mirrors
Satin chrome lower window trim
Dynamic Escort Lighting
Digital Key 2.0
Gloss black roof rails
Digital rearview mirror w/ HomeLink
Power tilt & telescopic steering wheel w/ integrated memory system
SynTex & SynTex suede seat trim
10-way power driver's seat w/ 4-way power lumbar adjustment, thigh support, Ergo Motion, power bolsters & 2-way power leg extension
Heated/ventilated outboard 2nd-row seats
SynTex suede headliner
Engineered interior wood
12-inch head-up display

Telluride Hybrid X-Line SX Prestige - $57,590

This is the trim level that gets everything thrown at it and keeps the darker look. It's only a grand more than the SX Prestige and primarily addss the Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) feature that lets the driver use the key fob to park or pull out of tight spaces while standing outside the vehicle. It's a mostly unnecessary feature but nice to have if you live in tight urban areas where parking is challenging. The X-Line SX Prestige lines up with the vast majority of the X-Line SX;s standard features but adds the SX Prestige's 12-inch head-up display, SynTex suede headliner, power adjustable steering column, SynTex suede seat trim, and the heated/ventilated second row seats.

Standard feature highlights on the X-Line SX Prestige (in addition to or instead of SX Prestige).

21" X-Line alloy wheels with black finish
Black exterior badging
Gloss black lower window trim w/ gloss black side mirrors
LED projector fog lights
High-utility gloss black roof rails
X-Line body styling
X-Line embossed seats
X-Line liftgate lamp
Remote Smart Parking Assist

This is the trim level to get if you just need to have everything. It adds some substantial luxury details to the X-Line SX trim, helping justify the price increase. You can also can brag that you have the priciest Telluride Hybrid in the lineup, if that's what's important to you. Of course, like the X-Line SX, it comes standard with all-wheel drive and Terrain Mode.

Final Thoughts

Kia didn't just vastly improve the full redesign of it's already excellent first-generation three-row family SUV, it also added a hybrid powertrain in a model that provides a great selection of trims ranging from affordable to premium. From the base EX to the top trim X-Line SX Prestige, the Telluride Hybrid is a more efficient version of the gas-powered Telluride that's selling like hotcakes. Every trim level is packed with superb features, and even the base EX doesn't scrimp on comfort. No matter which trim level you choose, you'll be getting one of the best values in the automotive industry when it comes to family SUVs.

This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 12:00 PM.