Bold new 2020 Telluride marks Kia's entry into the full-size SUV segment

Buyers on the market for a spacious three-row and eight-seat general-purpose SUV will soon have a new choice in the form of the 2020 Kia Telluride.

The SUV was unveiled Saturday at fashion designer Brandon Maxwell's event at New York Fashion Week.

The Telluride is the production version of Kia's well-received concept of the same name unveiled at the 2016 Detroit auto show. It's several inches longer and wider than the medium-sized Kia Sorento, and all what the automaker is ready to say at the moment is that a V-6 will be offered.

The version shown in New York would be a specially designed model with several references to Maxwell's Texas roots, including natural wood interior trim and double-stitched leather surfaces inspired by the saddle. On the outside, Telluride's dark green paint reflects the color of the original concept, and protective elements such as skidplates and side sills provide a glimpse of the vehicle's off-road potential.

2020 Kia Telluride

Telluride is thought to be based on a new front-wheel-drive, cross-wheel drive, AWD platform. The Telluride concept was based on an extended version of the platform found in the Sorento. The concept also included a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor to generate a combined horsepower of 400 horsepower, a combination we could see in the production version at one point.

Hyundai sister brand is currently working on a full-size SUV that will likely share the bones of Telluride. Hyundai previewed its SUV in June with the Grandmaster concept and is currently testing prototypes in the wild. The Hyundai SUV would be called Palisade and should reach Telluride on the market next year.

It was not so long ago, Kia had a big SUV in its lineup. The previous entry called Borrego (a Mohave on other markets) and was only offered a few years before it was finally abandoned in 2010. It had simply been a victim of the combined effects of the global financial crisis and high gas prices.

Given the current trend towards SUVs, the same fate should not wait for Kia's new salvo in the full-size SUV segment. Potential competitors include the Chevrolet Tahoe, Dodge Durango, Ford Expedition, Honda Pilot, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia.