We doubt Kia expected its SUVs name would be a boost in the state the name comes from. But dealers in Colorado say they can’t keep up with the demand for the Telluride SUV. It’s so bad that test-driving them is restricted at some dealers because there are so few left to purchase. “I’ve never had a car with this kind of demand,” says Phil Marzolf, owner of i25 Lia in Longmont, Colorado. 

He should know. His dealership sells 25-30 Tellurides a month. “We are seeing a lot of customers we haven’t seen before,” he told the Denver Post. Because they sell as fast as the dealer gets them in Marzolf brings his wife’s Telluride onto the lot on weekends. So does his business partner to at least have a couple for potential buyers to test drive. He says he gets one in four orders just from test drives. 

Colorado has become a popular state for vehicle names. In the past, there has been the Chrysler Aspen and AMC Eagle. Currently, there are the Chevy Colorado, Dodge Durango, and Hyundai Palisade. Though it’s built-in Georgia, Kia chose the Telluride name for its large SUV.

Kia’s been on a roll and the crazy sales of the Telluride is just one example

Kia has been on a roll for the last few years. JD Power has named it the top brand in initial quality. Motor Trend named Telluride its top SUV for 2020. 

While the average time to sell an SUV takes 45 days on average, Tellurides sell in 12.7 days according to iSeeCars.com. Some slower-selling SUVs take 65 days before they leave the dealer’s lot. 

For comparison, a Toyota RAV4 hybrid comes in next at 18 days on a lot. Honda CR-Vs sit around for 43.5 days while the Ford Explorer takes a bit longer at 46.4 days. 

Kia will increase production by 20% but will that really help demand?

The base Telluride starts a $32,785. Kia has said it will increase production by 20%. But if you live in Colorado good luck finding one at a dealer. They are impossible to find and many dealers say at the rate the Telluride is selling they don’t expect to have them to sell from inventory until April or May. 

For three-row SUVs, the Telluride seems to be everything customers are looking for. The average fuel economy for all-wheel-drive versions in real use is 20 mpg which is good if not great. Standard equipment includes Torque Vectoring Cornering Control which aids in handling, especially in snow or slush conditions. 

A suite of safety technologies Kia calls Kia Drive Wise is industry-leading. Kia’s Highway Driving Assist automatically keeps you a safe distance from cars ahead and also aids in staying centered in lanes. 

The stiff architecture combined with the tuned suspension gives the feel of a car smaller than the Telluride really is. Standard features are abundant, with optional interior packages rivaling higher-priced competitors. 

In all this is a great effort by Kia and looks to be rewarding its efforts with sales above expectations.