Sometimes critics love a car, but it doesn’t translate to general popularity. That’s not the case for the 2021 Kia Telluride. This SUV is both highly rated and well-loved by owners. Let’s take a look at what’s great about it and what owners love so much about it.

Owners love their 2021 Kia Telluride

The 2021 Kia Telluride has the highest owner satisfaction score from Consumer Reports. The annual survey indicated that 91 percent of owners would buy it again. With an overall predicted owner satisfaction score of five out of five, the 2021 Telluride also received high marks from Consumer Reports in a number of categories.

Its predicted owner satisfaction for comfort is 93 out of 100. It has a predicted owner satisfaction score of 91 out of 100 for styling. For driving experience, its owner satisfaction score is predicted to be 86 out of 100. And for predicted owner satisfaction for value, it has a 70 out of 100.

How Consumer Reports calculates owner satisfaction

Consumer Reports conducts a survey each year, and part of the survey collects information on how happy owners are with their vehicles. The survey asks, “Would you get this car if you had to do it all over again?” Owner satisfaction is based on the percentage of respondents who said they would definitely buy the vehicle again. Consumer Reports describes it as measuring whether a vehicle “lived up to its owner’s expectations.”

Owner satisfaction isn’t a guarantee that a vehicle is the best one in all categories though. Consumer Reports doesn’t recommend all the vehicles that received high owner satisfaction scores. Some have other low scores or lower than average reliability.

In the 2020 survey, Consumer Reports collected information about 329,000 vehicles between model years 2000 and 2020. Predicted scores are based on the scores given to recent past model years. The Kia Telluride is the three-row midsize SUV that owners were most satisfied with.

The 2021 Kia Telluride is all-around impressive

The 2021 Kia Telluride is also the overall top-rated three-row SUV. It has an overall rating of 97 out of 100, along with a road-test score of 97 out of 100 and a predicted reliability score of five out of five. This three-row SUV can seat up to eight. It seats seven if the second-row bench is switched for captain’s chairs.

It has a 291-hp 3.8-liter V6 engine matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available. The 2021 Telluride is rated for 14 MPG in the city, 30 MPG on the highway, and 21 MPG overall, which U.S. News describes as “mediocre.” It can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Along with its comfortable ride, the Telluride has a quiet and spacious interior. Even the base trim is finished with high-quality materials. Consumer Reports appreciates some of its details, like the one-touch fold/slide second-row seats. It also has more cargo space than average, with 21 cubic feet behind the third row, 46 cubic feet behind the second row, and 87 cubic feet with both rows folded down, according to U.S. News.

An 8-inch touchscreen is standard, but a 10.2-inch touchscreen is available. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility come standard. Standard advanced safety features on the Telluride include a long list of safety systems.

For example, there’s automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, driver drowsiness monitoring, as well as rear-seat alert. Automatic high-beam headlight, front parking sensors, a surround-view parking camera system, and a head-up display are also available.

The price for the 2021 Kia Telluride starts between $32,190 and $44,390. This SUV looks like an all-around winner, which is not a surprise for anyone. Its past owners are certainly happy with the Telluride models they’ve been driving.