The Kia Telluride might be new to the auto world, but it’s made a huge splash. It has earned several coveted awards already, and it just earned another one. Consumer Reports has ranked it as number one on its list of ‘Most Reliable New Midsize SUVs.’

Getting your hands on a 2021 Kia Telluride might prove to be difficult

For anyone looking to buy a new Telluride, good luck. Many are being purchased before even hitting the dealer lot, so if you’re expecting to simply drive by your local dealership and buy one, that probably isn’t going to happen.

The question is, why is this non-luxury SUV causing such waves in the auto world? It’s not the most powerful SUV on the market. So why is everyone so obsessed with it?

One reason might have to do with the fact that it’s designed with families in mind. There is a brand-new feature known as the Quiet Mode that will probably become very popular in the future. This mode allows drivers to mute the speakers in the back seat. 

So what does this mean for exhausted parents? You can listen to your favorite jam while the baby sleeps soundly in the back.

Add in a comfortable ride as well as safety features such as forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitors, automatic emergency braking, and lane-switching assistance, and you’ve got a winner.

Plus, the body looks great, so no matter what you need the Telluride for, it’s going to look great sitting in your driveway.

Consumer Reports can’t say enough good things about this Kia SUV

Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Kia Telluride a score of 97. That’s not a perfect score, but it’s definitely close enough. It earned a predicted reliability score of 5/5 and a predicted owner satisfaction rating of 5/5.

In regards to the driving experience, the review wrote,

“It did so well in our testing that it vaulted its way nearly to the top of the standings, thanks to its refined driving experience, user-friendly controls, thoughtful features, and vast cargo room. The Telluride may not offer a lot of “wow factor,” but we were impressed by its overall competence and standard equipment for the price.”

The 2021 Kia Telluride has a price range of $31,990 – $44,090 according to the reivew. While that is out of the price range for some consumers, it’s still a steal for all that it offers. With an estimated fuel mileage rate of 14 city, 30 highway, and 21 overall, it’s not exactly cheap to fuel up, but the other features might just make up for that.

Why are critics so obsessed with the Kia Telluride?

Critics can’t find much bad to say about the Telluride, and are throwing award after award at it. Edmunds was over the moon about the 2020 Telluride, and proclaimed that the 2021 model is still its favorite SUV. 

The Kia Telluride has also won the 2020 MAMA Family Vehicle of the Year, the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, Car and Driver’s 10 Best, MotorTrend’s SUV of the Year, and the ALG Design Innovation Award.

At this point, consumers may wonder if the Telluride can do any wrong. Of course, there are a few problems. One owner reported that her children couldn’t fasten the seatbelt on their own while sitting in a booster seat. Other owners report the rear A/C vents turn on at random times, the engine may overheat from idle stop/go, and the battery died amongst other issues. These are not widespread, however, so the Telluride still retains the throne.