2020 Kia Telluride Unveiled at New York Fashion Show

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
The Auto Channnel
The Hague, Netherlands

NEW YORK, September 12, 2018. Over the past weekend, visitors at the New York Fashion Week were presented with a surprise premiere. Not a spectacular outfit, but a new automobile: the 2020 Kia Telluride was shown on the runway that is usually flocked with models of flesh and blood.

The car manufacturer had teamed up with fashion designer Brandon Maxwell to take cues from his Texas themed 2019 spring/summer collection.

The one-off bespoke version shows a glimpse of the styling inside and out of the full size eight-seater SUV, that will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show in January.

The Telluride’s green color reflects that of the concept car, that bowed in Detroit in 2016. Maxwell applied natural wood interior trim and saddle-inspired double-stitched leather on the dash, door panels and grab handles. Similar leather details cover the outside rearview mirrors and door handles, while the hood is secured by leather belt straps. Custom front and rear bumpers, skid plates and sidestep sills provide a Texan touch, together with a hidden winch and a snorkel for crossing deep rivers. The black alloy wheels have 265/50R-20 off-road tires, the spare tire has been custom mounted to the rear hatch, which opens to a metal- and leather-trimmed cargo area.

“Telluride summits Kia’s SUV lineup and forged a surprising new path with its runway debut at New York Fashion Week,” said Saad Chehab, vice president of marketing communications, Kia Motors America. “Only a brand as forward-thinking as Kia could collaborate with Brandon Maxwell to launch the Telluride ahead of its official debut.”

The 2016 Concept was built on an existing platform and has a wheel base of 121.2 inches, nearly 12 in. longer than that of the Sorento. Furthermore, the SUV is 4.3 in. higher, 4.7 in. wider and 9.4 in. longer, measures that will come close to those of the production version.

The 2020 Telluride has been designed for the US market in Kia’s design studio in Irvine, California and will be built in West Point, Georgia. We can expect its market launch in the course of next year.