- the flashy new kia logo is on display on the telluride's wide-mouthed grille, which undergoes a minor revision.
- lower trim levels gain bigger screens and more tech, while kia's navigation-based adaptive cruise control is applied across the lineup.
- the telluride is only a bit more expensive across the board, with the lx and s trims up $600 and $700 respectively, while the higher-end ex and sx models only increase by $200.
the kia telluride has been a booming success. the mid-size suv was named to car and driver's 10best list for 2020 and 2021, also collecting an editors' choice award both years, and the excellence that earned those accolades has also been reflected in strong sales. despite being initially introduced back in 2019 (for the 2020 model year), the telluride's sales have only improved, up 68 percent so far in 2021 compared to 2020. kia now seeks to build on that success with the freshened 2022 model, which features kia's snazzy new logo, among other enhancements.
the only exterior changes occur on the telluride's already assertive front end. kia's signature "tiger nose" grille is now adorned by the updated logo, which does away with the previous oval surround in favor of a more dynamic font with the letters k, i, and a linked together. the only other discernible exterior change is that the grille's mesh is now blacked out rather than chrome.
the other upgrades appear in the telluride's upscale interior. all trim levels now gain navigation based smart cruise control-curve, a form of adaptive cruise control that uses navigation data to adjust speed for upcoming bends in the road before returning the vehicle's speed to the preset level. kia has also made some of its more luxurious features standard on the lower lx and s trims, among them a 10.3-inch touchscreen, automatic climate control, and semi-autonomous highway-driving assist.
under the hood, the telluride retains the same 291-hp naturally aspirated 3.8-liter v-6, which is used on every trim level in the telluride lineup.
prices have increased only slightly for 2022. the base lx fwd trim now costs $34,015, a $600 bump versus 2021. the front-wheel-drive s is now $36,515, up $700 compared to last year, while the ex fwd only increases by $200, to $39,015. the top-of-the-line sx trim, in fwd guise, is now $43,915, also $200 more than the 2021 version. all-wheel drive still adds $2000 to the price of each trim level.