The Kia Telluride is a three-row midsize SUV that went on sale for the 2020 model year and is built in West Point, Georgia. It seats seven or eight and is offered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Telluride shares its platform and powertrain with the Hyundai Palisade and is Kia's largest SUV in the U.S. This page lines up every Kia Telluride model year from 2020 to 2024 on one scale, so you can see which years drew unusual numbers of owner reports and which stayed quiet.
Kia Telluride by model year
Complaints per 100,000 sold. Red: more than twice the model average. Green: the fewest, among years at least three years old.
| Year | Per 100k sold | Complaints | Recalls | Top system | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1034 | 777 | 7 | Visibility, lights and locks | Most complaints |
| 2021 | 399 | 374 | 5 | Visibility, lights and locks | |
| 2022 | 328 | 328 | 7 | Visibility, lights and locks | Fewest |
| 2023 | 190 | 211 | 6 | Electrical | Fewest |
| 2024 | 195 | 225 | 5 | Electrical |
Why these years stand out
2020: most complaints. The 2020 Kia Telluride scored 1034 complaints per 100,000 sold, 2.7 times the model average. Of its 777 complaints, 229 involve the engine or transmission, and the parts named most often are exterior lighting (177), engine (153) and visibility/wiper (136). NHTSA lists 7 recalls for this model year and 1 defect investigation.
2022 and 2023: fewest complaints. The 2022 drew 328 complaints, or 328 per 100,000 sold; The 2023 drew 211 complaints, or 190 per 100,000 sold. These years have been on the road at least three years, which gives owners time to report problems, so a low count means something.
What Kia Telluride owners report most
Visibility, lights and locks complaints lead for the Kia Telluride, at 32% of all complaints for 2020-2024. Engine and transmission reports together make up 25%. One complaint can name more than one system, so the bars can add up to more than the total.
When problems are reported: mileage
299 Kia Telluride complaints list the odometer reading at the time of the problem. 83% were reported before 50,000 miles and 3% after 100,000. Most reports come early in ownership, which points to problems that show up while the vehicle is still fairly new.
Kia Telluride compared with other midsize suvs
In 0 of 5 model years the Kia Telluride drew fewer complaints per 100,000 sold than the average midsize suv we track for the same year. For 2024, the Kia Telluride scored 195 against a class average of 140. The class average only uses models with clean, published sales figures.
Kia Telluride generations
- 2020-2024First generation
3.8L V6 · 8-speed automatic
Every Telluride in this range uses the same 3.8L V6 and 8-speed automatic.
The 2023 refresh brought new front styling, a larger standard touchscreen and the off-road-oriented X-Line and X-Pro trims. All-wheel drive is optional on most trims and standard on the X-Pro versions. The Telluride was designed mainly for the North American market.
Kia Telluride fuel economy
The 2025 Kia Telluride is rated at 20 to 22 MPG combined by the EPA, depending on the version. Every year and engine will be on its own MPG page.
Crash test stars
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave the Kia Telluride these overall ratings (out of 5) for the model years it tested: 2020: 5, 2021: 5, 2022: 5, 2023: 5, 2024: 5. Ratings can differ between body styles and drive types of the same year.
Questions
What is the best year for the Kia Telluride?
By complaints filed with NHTSA per 100,000 sold, 2022 and 2023 had the fewest among model years at least three years old. 2022 scored 328, against a model average of 387.
What years of the Kia Telluride have the most complaints?
2020. The 2020 scored 1034 per 100,000 sold, with 229 engine or transmission complaints. A complaint is a report from an owner and does not prove a defect.
At what mileage do Kia Telluride owners report problems?
Across 299 complaints that list the odometer reading, 83% were filed before 50,000 miles and 3% after 100,000 miles. These are miles at the time of the reported problem, not how long the vehicle lasts.
How many recalls does the Kia Telluride have?
NHTSA lists 30 recall campaigns across model years 2020-2024 (a campaign that covers several years counts once per year). Check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaint counts are reports filed by owners with NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify them, and a complaint does not prove a defect. Scores are our calculation, explained on the Method page. Not affiliated with any automaker.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (complaints, recalls, investigations), data through October 2026; U.S. sales from manufacturer reports, compiled by motorwick; fuel economy: U.S. EPA estimates; crash tests: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.