2023 Kia Telluride X-Pro Review: Not an Off-Roader, But Still the Best Family SUV

Kia didn’t get very adventurous with the Telluride…but they didn’t need to.

kia telluride x pro parked next to a river and train tracks

Published April 22, 2023

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Updated May 11, 2023

Car debuts don’t get much better than the Kia Telluride. The three-row SUV was a bold move from Kia: new nameplate, new segment, new price point. And it succeeded by just about any measure. The Telluride took home World Car of the Year and NACTOY awards when it debuts, ad has sold so well, Kia staffers refer to it as the “Sell-u-ride.” And the Telluride changed perceptions of the Kia brand, paving the way for premium launches like the EV6 and the EV9.

How do you refresh a vehicle that on-point? Lightly. Kia gave the Telluride an exterior nip and tuck for 2023, along with the new KN logo. The interior receives a new curved digital display. And Kia is staying on-trend with two new adventure (or at least adventure-themed) packages: the X-Line and X-Pro based on the SX and SX Prestige trims.

The X-Line setup gives the Telluride an 0.4-inch suspension lift, raised roof rails and downhill brake control. Meanwhile, the X-Pro model Kia loaned me to drive around Michigan for a week adds 18-inch black wheels, all-terrain tires and an upgraded tow rating to 5,500 lbs.

kia telluride from the front — The 2023 Telluride features Kia’s new hard-to-read “KN” logo, which has led to mass confusion.

2023 Kia Telluride X-Pro: What We Think

The X-Pro setup is not a difference-making off-road package for the Telluride. And the model is no longer the value proposition it once was. But the Telluride remains a cut above the crowded field of affordable three-row family SUVs.

It drives very well. It feels luxurious and spacious inside. It does all the things you need a family car to do without fuss and without making it feel like you sacrificed or settled. The Telluride is a fixture on our best cars to buy list — and a good bet to stay there for some time to come.

The 2023 Kia Telluride X-Pro: Testing Notes

Going X-Pro does not dramatically alter the Kia Telluride’s appearance.

Tyler Duffy

The Telluride’s X-Pro setup is an appearance package

Honda went all-in with the Pilot TrailSport, building it into more of an off-roader than one would anticipate. Kia did not do that with the Telluride’s X-Pro package. It’s more of an off-road-appearance-for-looks thing — and a subtle one at that. The ground clearance add is imperceptible to the naked eye. You get some off-road cladding, and the tires are sort of knobby and cool-looking. But if it weren’t for the understated X-Pro graphics on the seats and tailgate, I may not have known it was the X-Pro model.

kia telluride 2023 — The Telluride’s mildly enhanced off-road capability does not affect its on-road excellence.

The Kia Telluride still drives great for a 3-row SUV

The Telluride X-Pro does not drive notably differently from the standard Telluride — the all-terrain tires did not feel noisy or cumbersome — which is a good thing. The Telluride is excellent. It’s not the sort of car one takes on the Nurbürgring. But I did take it on the longer, curvier road loop I generally reserve for sports cars, and it performed surprisingly well.

The Telluride feels light and nimble. It offers a more precise and direct turn into corners than one would expect from a three-row kid hauler without feeling stiff or overly tuned for that. I found it easy and comfortable to drive for the 95 percent of driving you normally do with a family car, if not downright engaging.

My quibbles were minor. I’d describe the naturally-aspirated V6 as adequate rather than exhilarating; fantasies about Kia dropping the dearly departed Stinger GT’s 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 into a Telluride will likely remain just that. I also found the lane centering to be an over-eager and aggressive nanny, so shut it off in a sub-menu.

kia telluride interior — The Telluride SX Prestige interior has Nappa leather seats and a new curved infotainment display.

The interior remains a Kia Telluride strength, as well

The interior was a difference-maker for the original Telluride; it was spacious, usable and felt like a luxury car. That’s still the case post-refresh. The biggest difference with the 2023 Telluride is the touchscreen, which is now a curved display that feels tech-forward and premium. But you still get physical buttons and knobs for the stereo and climate controls to keep things usable.

With the SX Prestige trim, you get some lovely Nappa leather seats. And after an hour of driving, the seats began automatically performing lumbar adjustments to relieve my lower back; it’s a helpful feature for anyone in their late 30s and beyond buying a Telluride. With SX Prestige, the second-row seats are also heated and ventilated, even if my kids in car seats were unable to appreciate them.

kia telluride x pro badge — Going X-Pro does not ding the Telluride fuel economy much. However, it remains about average for a three-row midsize crossover.

The Kia Telluride still isn’t very fuel-efficient

The good news? The X-Pro package is subtle enough to not warrant a separate EPA rating. The bad news? The standard Telluride still gets disappointing fuel economy. It’s rated for just 21 mpg combined and 18 mpg in city driving (where you’re likely to be doing a lot of runs in a family car). Kia seems to be jumping straight to the similarly-sized EV9 rather than providing a less thirsty Telluride option.

It’s not a deal-breaker per se; the Kia Telluride is on par with its not particularly thrifty competition. But it does leave an opening for the Highlander Hybrid and its compelling 35-mpg selling point.

kia telluride interior from the rear with seats up — Massive popularity and a limited supply mean Kia now prices the Telluride more aggressively.

The Kia Telluride isn’t as much of a value play as it used to be

The Telluride used to feel like a $60,000 SUV that topped out in the mid-$40,000s. Now, the Telluride is much closer to that $60,000 SUV. The SX Prestige X-Pro trim works out to $53,785, or $55,120 with the destination charge…and that’s presuming a dealer will sell you one at MSRP.