After being shown as a concept car, Kia has finally teased the production version of their 8-seater, body-on-frame SUV: the Telluride. Expected to hit retail sales sometime next year as a 2020 model (at least for the US), it made a surprising appearance at New York Fashion Week.

Shown at fashion designer Brandon Maxwell’s runway collection, the penned-in-the-US Telluride is decidedly squarish and upright. The simple, no-nonsense lines coupled with the large Tiger Nose grille and stacked headlights make it appear imposing, yet functional. The rear sees the same simple lines with Picanto-esque taillights and a Volvo-like tailgate design. Inside, the Telluride is expected to have spacious seating for 8, especially since it’s longer and wider than the Sorento SUV.


For its New York Fashion Week debut, the Telluride is decked in a “Texas-inspired” getup. It has a deep green paint, a customized bumper that hides a winch, a snorkel, a high-mounted spare tire, and burly 265/50R20 tires. Inside, it celebrates the Lone Star State with its double-stitched leather adornments on the dash, door panels, handles, and even cargo area, and natural wood trim.

Kia says that the production version of the Telluride will be powered by a V6 engine. If it stays true to the concept, it means having a 3.5-liter direct-injected V6 coupled with an electric motor. All in all, it should make 400 horsepower (if electrified) with 270 horsepower coming from the internal combustion engine.