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Kia has released the new 2023 Kia Telluride SUV and one of the most-anticipated features is its new X-Line and X-Pro off-road biased packages. The new packages raise the ride height, add special traction control modes, and off-road tires.

The Telluride is already the SUV that other companies wish they were building. Will the new upgrades make the 2023 Kia Telluride even more of a sales success?

The new 2023 Kia Telluride can be ordered with an X-Line package.
The 2023 Telluride | Kia

You can spot an X-Line or X-Pro Telluride by its new grille, new roof rails, body-color door handles, and 20-inch wheels. Of course X-Line Tellurides will also have X-Line badging.

Kia’s Telluride is a corporate twin to the Hyundai Palisade. The Palisade, too, has been updated for off-road duty with the XRT package. While Kia is focusing more on off-road packages, the new Palisade is going luxury with the fancy Calligraphy package.

On the inside, the seats are embossed with new X-Line logos, and new color packages.

The X-Line and X-Pro are off-road biased, but with one key difference

The bumpers, wheels, roof racks and door handles are all different on the X-Line and X-Pro packages on the new 2023 Kia Telluride.
2023 Telluride | Kia

When you’re off road, clearance is king. To improve the off-road capability of the X-Line, the new 2023 Kia Telluride X-Line has a 10mm higher ride height that the standard model. An increased ride height improves the approach and departure angles of the front and rear bumpers, which is key when you’re fording streams and climbing hills off road.

But there’s one key difference between X-Line and X-Pro: The X-Pro is also an off-road biased trim, and it will shout that with new Continental 18-inch all-terrain tires. The large 20-inch rims on the X-Line may look great, but a tire with a larger sidewall is better for getting over rocks and tough stuff off road.

The X-Line also has an improved traction control system, but so far Kia has not released information on what that means. Presumably, the new traction control system will let the driver loose for some off-road shenanigans, as well as mud or sand modes for crawling through the deep stuff.

The X-Pro will also have Downhill Brake Control. Many off-road trucks and SUVs feature something like this that acts like a slow-speed cruise control for going down steep hills.

The X-line and X-Pro packages also get you an extra 500 pounds of towing capacity, up to 5,500 pounds from 5,000 on the regular Telluride.

The new Telluride’s all-wheel drive system has a “locker” that works like a traditional four-wheel-drive and sends power to all four wheels evenly.

The new interior gets special X-Pro trim

The new 2023 Kia Telluride X-Pro features new embossed seats with the X-Pro logo.
2023 Telluride X-Pro interior | Kia

The X-Pro is also catering to those who are ready to tailgate, too. It has a 110-volt inverter in the cargo area.

Some things don’t change, like the motor. The new Telluride will have the same reliable 3.8-liter V6 that the 2022 models have. It has never been a slouch, and makes 291 horsepower. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic.

Any Telluride is available with on-demand all-wheel drive, and according to Kia: During normal driving, power is distributed according to the drive mode selected. “Eco” and “Comfort” modes can deliver up to 20 to 35 percent of the power to the rear wheels, respectively.  “Sport”, “Smart” and “Snow” modes can deliver up to 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels.

The new Telluride also comes with a host of safety features for when you’re on paved roads. Those include forward collision warning, forward collision avoidance that adds evasive steering assist, blind spot warnings, and more. Pricing for the new 2023 Kia Telluride was not released.

RELATED: How Much Does a Fully Loaded 2022 Kia Telluride Cost?

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.