Kia may have once been considered the joke of the auto world, but it’s worked hard to change that. Now Kia is taking on some of the top luxury brands in the industry and is leaving them in the dust. This is thanks in large part to the 2020 Telluride.

It has developed quite the following already, and some even refer to it as the ‘Sell-U-Ride.’ This is because it is selling so fast that dealers can’t keep it on the lot. CNN has all the details about why the 2020 Kia Telluride has consumers going wild.

The 2020 Kia Telluride really is a great SUV

So what’s the deal with the 2020 Kia Telluride? Are the seats filled with soft clouds? Is the interior trimmed in gold? Does the engine run off of water instead of gas?

Well, it’s not quite that great, but it’s pretty close. It’s a three-row SUV that actually has a comfortable, quiet ride. This is in large part thanks to the standard V6 engine. It can seat up to eight passengers, and there’s also plenty of room in the back. The Kia Telluride has 87 cubic feet of cargo capacity in total, which is quite a bit. 

The 2020 Kia Telluride comes with a ton of safety features like lane-keeping assistance, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and pre-collision warning/braking. Even better is the fact that these much sought after features are standard, rather than options that you have to pay more money for.

There’s also a ton of tech available standard. At the base level you get an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, Bluetooth connectivity, five USB ports, a rearview camera, and satellite radio. You can also opt in for an in-vehicle intercom system, wireless device charging, a 10.3-inch touchscreen, one more USB port, a head-up display, navigation, surround sound audio, and an improved LCD gauge cluster display.

Even after 20,000 miles, the Telluride still held that same allure for editors of Car and Driver even though it was no longer brand new. There are not many vehicles that can boost that.

Kia can’t produce enough Tellurides

Kia is having trouble producing enough Tellurides to supply consumers, and while COVID-19 plays a huge role, there’s another factor to consider. People are going crazy over the Telluride, and are purchasing them faster than they can be produced.

The 2020 Kia Telluride is being produced in West Point, Georgia. In April, the plant had to be shut down due to COVID-19 for a few weeks but was back up and running in May. The plant is currently running three shifts around the clock, but that’s still not enough to keep up with consumer demands, however.

CNN reports, “Kia dealers have, on average, a 15-day supply of Tellurides on their lots, according to data from Cox Automotive. In real terms, that means that these SUVs are going out almost as fast as they come in. By contrast, GMC dealers have an average 76-day supply of the Acadia and Toyota dealers have an average 51-day supply of the Highlander. Both are competitors to the Telluride.”

You might be charged above the MSRP

When things are a hot commodity, it’s not unusual for the seller to add a few dollars to the price. Or Kia’s case, it’s 3 percent over the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. The MSRP for the Telluride is between $31,890 and $43,790, so this means that they’re actually selling for between $32,846 and $45,103.

While this might turn some consumers away, it doesn’t seem to be hindering Kia dealers. The Telluride is still flying off the lot as soon as it gets there. In some cases, it has already been purchased, sight unseen. 

This probably has a lot to do with some families hitting the roads in spite of COVID-19. They may not be willing to stay in a hotel, but they’re still traveling. Since the Kia Telluride makes a great vehicle to go on a road trip, this might add to its growing appeal.