Page 39 - Motor Trend (January 2020)
P. 39
Winner I SUV OF THE YEAR
“The Koreans have become masters jewelry such as the contrasting silver
at studying what everyone else does panels at the lower edges of the front and
right, picking the best practices, and rear fascias and the brightwork around the
implementing them,” Detroit editor Alisa greenhouse and at the base of the doors.
Priddle added during the debate before The Telluride looks substantial but is
the final vote. also friendly and approachable. There are
MotorTrend en Español managing some playful Easter eggs in the detailing,
editor Miguel Cortina summed up the such as the castellation in the brightwork
Kia this way: “The Telluride really nails at the B-pillar, a nod to similar detailing in
the criteria.” the Kia grille and on the upper edge of the
Let’s take a closer look at how. windshield, and the indent at the lower
front corner of the front doors.
ADVANCEMENT IN DESIGN The interior is just as confident and as
what makes the Telluride our 2020 SUV The Telluride is the largest SUV yet sophisticated as the exterior. Again, even
of the Year. from Kia, measuring 2.8 inches longer the base LX trim’s interior looks well
Our exhaustive judging process, in overall than its Borrego predecessor. But equipped and well finished. As for the
which each contender is evaluated in the it wears its size well thanks to confident range-topping SX: “I keep looking around
context of our six key criteria, means the and sophisticated exterior styling. the cabin and reminding myself this SUV
winning vehicle must be a well-rounded The large grille makes a statement costs only 47 grand,” executive editor
product, regardless of its functional focus. without being overbearing, and the Mark Rechtin said after he climbed into
So although its price makes the headlights have been pulled back from our tester’s Dune Brown Nappa leather-
headlines, what helped the Kia Telluride the corners to visually reduce the front trimmed interior. “It feels like a rustic-
garner seven first-place votes from our 11 overhang. “The imposing stance and modernist house of a millionaire rancher.”
judges is that it’s anything but bargain- good proportions impressively disguise The interior is also practical and usable.
basement in the way it looks, drives, the dash-to-axle ratio inherent to the Although the third row is for teenagers,
and effortlessly copes with the modern front-wheel-drive architecture,” guest
American family’s needs. judge and former head of Cadillac Johan
“Pleasing overall design, with nicely de Nysschen said.
executed linework and surfacing,” guest On the bodyside, simple surfaces tell
judge and former Chrysler design chief their own story instead of becoming
Tom Gale said. a stage for entertainment riven with
“One of the very few three-row random cuts and lines. The greenhouse is
crossovers that I actually like driving,” subtly sporty, amplifying the slight rake
features editor Christian Seabaugh said to the D-pillar without compromising
after he pushed the Telluride around our practicality. The rear graphic, bracketed
SUVOTY proving ground’s challenging by commalike taillights, is strong and
winding road. distinctive. Even the base LX model gets
JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 39
