[Kia Telluride News]

There was a time when hauling any load up to 5,000 lbs with a Kia required upgrading the Sorento from its base 2.4L Inline-4 to 3.3L V6. While that was an option, the rest of the Sorento made you feel left out. Now, for the same price as a base 3.3L Sorento, you can have a Telluride that achieves the same towing capacity and does it with style.

Both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive Telluride configurations produce the same 5,000 lbs of towing capacity, doing it with even distribution once the lock setting is engaged in the HTRAC AWD version, making better use of that powerful 262 torque and 291 horsepower 3.8-liter V6.

For $795, a Towing Package can be added that includes a self-leveling rear suspension and tow hitch. additional equipment, like a trailer hitch. Its one way to make the most of those 5,000 lbs. Kia did a lot already, adequate low torque gets distributed smoothly thanks to an 8-speed automatic mated to the V6, drive modes control where power goes on the AWD model and active systems keep your Telluride and load under control in a range of situations. Even torque distribution should be true at higher speeds as well.

At 5,000 with all the features mentioned above to complement, its an impressive package for the segment. If you still need more, the Ford Explorer gets up to 5,600 lbs with the Durango taking top spot at up to 7,400 lbs, but even those products are as well rounded as the Telluride, which is right where it needs to be for most consumers.

If a Telluride PHEV sporting a 3.5-liter V6 like its concept comes to production, better number are possible, till then this is all we're getting.

 

[Borrego]

Should be more than adequate for the average family looking to tow a small utility trailer/camper. Would like to know what sort of fuel economy the Telluride will see under a full load. Hopefully the 8spd automatic isn't early with the upshifts.

 

[Kearns22]

While the Telluride can't tow more than any of its direct rivals, it has easily matched the average of all vehicles in this class. Even if the Explorer and Durango are rated to tow more with a V6, I worry about the strain on the engine.

 

[zora3]

I'd like to understand more about Kia's towing capacity rating. It seems to only be rating the engine's ability to pull (and to some undisclosed criteria), rather than an overall rating that accounts for weight differences between trim levels and associated braking effectiveness, and any body or frame or suspension differences both across trims and across FWD vs AWD.

Every other brand has different tow ratings for different trims, and for AWD vs FWD (because they are rating the overall vehicle package, not just the engine).

Some manufacturers voluntarily rate towing capacity per the SAE J2807 standard. Kia can't possibly be testing to that standard, or different trims would have different capacity.

Also note that in the manual, pg 5-148, 5-149, it shows:
___________________
Lambda II 3.8 GDI ATK engine:
without trailer brakes: 1650 lbs
with trailer brakes: 5000 lbs

Maximum tongue weight 351 lbs

The trailer tongue should weigh a maximum of 10% of the total loaded trailer weight, within the limits of the maximum trailer tongue load.
____________________

So, even the 5000 with trailer brakes needs a caveat. If 351 lb tongue weight is 10% of maximum, that becomes the limiting factor and the maximum loaded trailer weight is 3510 lbs, and only with a trailer having brakes, which most single-axle and utility trailers do not have.

I'm left confused. What are the real ratings by trim level, for SAFE trailer towing across a range of driving conditions and grades?

Kia seems to be playing a game with the specifications similar to the way shop-vac manufacturers play games with "horsepower ratings."

Claims about trailer towing ratings are important not just for the safety of owners, but also for the safety of people who may be driving near a Kia owner who is towing a trailer+cargo weighing 5000 lbs.

 

[wilson]

I'd like to understand more about Kia's towing capacity rating. It seems to only be rating the engine's ability to pull (and to some undisclosed criteria), rather than an overall rating that accounts for weight differences between trim levels and associated braking effectiveness, and any body or frame or suspension differences both across trims and across FWD vs AWD.

Every other brand has different tow ratings for different trims, and for AWD vs FWD (because they are rating the overall vehicle package, not just the engine).

Some manufacturers voluntarily rate towing capacity per the SAE J2807 standard. Kia can't possibly be testing to that standard, or different trims would have different capacity.

Also note that in the manual, pg 5-148, 5-149, it shows:
___________________
Lambda II 3.8 GDI ATK engine:
without trailer brakes: 1650 lbs
with trailer brakes: 5000 lbs

Maximum tongue weight 351 lbs

The trailer tongue should weigh a maximum of 10% of the total loaded trailer weight, within the limits of the maximum trailer tongue load.
____________________

So, even the 5000 with trailer brakes needs a caveat. If 351 lb tongue weight is 10% of maximum, that becomes the limiting factor and the maximum loaded trailer weight is 3510 lbs, and only with a trailer having brakes, which most single-axle and utility trailers do not have.

I'm left confused. What are the real ratings by trim level, for SAFE trailer towing across a range of driving conditions and grades?

Kia seems to be playing a game with the specifications similar to the way shop-vac manufacturers play games with "horsepower ratings."

Claims about trailer towing ratings are important not just for the safety of owners, but also for the safety of people who may be driving near a Kia owner who is towing a trailer+cargo weighing 5000 lbs.

Kia gets away with it by stating "up to 5,000 pounds of trailer weight" which makes you wonder what's stated in the warranty manual and owners manual. Haven't looked myself but it almost seems like they put out these juicy numbers with crafty wording as a form of marketing

 

[MPenny]

It wont be long until we get some towing tests done by various auto blogs but the note here about trailer brakes is an important one. I do find it odd that both the FWD and AWD models are rated the same.

 

[KAO]

KIA has sent out update regarding typo in manual regarding incorrectly listed tongue weight of 351 lbs. With 5000 lb towing limit, the tongue is 500 lbs, not 351 lbs as originally printed. Download attached file to read.

 

[Martin Kodiak]

Hello everyone. We bought our Telluride early enough to get one. Now we are getting a trailer to camp with this summer. We bought the Telluride for it's 5,000 rating but it looks like it is only rated to 1,650 without brakes on the trailered vehicle.

Do I need to install a braking system to this rig to tow a 4,000 lb caravan?

 

[Martin Kodiak]

Hello everyone. We bought our Telluride early enough to get one. Now we are getting a trailer to camp with this summer. We bought the Telluride for it's 5,000 rating but it looks like it is only rated to 1,650 without brakes on the trailered vehicle.

Do I need to install a braking system to this rig to tow a 4,000 lb caravan?

The answer is yes! I went with the Tekonsha Prodigy P2 Brake controller. I also have a load balancing trailer hitch with sway control

 

[Martin Kodiak]

We took our Telluride out for it's first tow. We were towing at limit with a 4,600 lb trailer with a 500 lb tongue weight. We are running the techshona brake controller mentioned above and a Fastway e2hitch with load balancing and sway control.

Originally we had scheduled an easy tow out to Deception pass state park to meet with family. This tow would have been mostly flat land with hills and about 40 miles each way. With Corona virus hut down the park was closed and our reservation canceled.

We decided to go to our daughters house to visit the grand kids and take the trailer to stay in. This is a much more aggressive tow crossing three passes, two of them being pretty significant grades. A trip of 230 miles each way.

We set up the LD hitch following instructions and the tow went great! We had no problems with anything. No Bowing, no swaying and had a very secure feeling throughout. Well except the wind. We had big wind up on two of the passes each way, so much so that i had to gas / power down hill into the Columbia river gorge at the vantage bridge. A ten mile grade down. Even in the high wind the trailer and Telluride never stumbled or faltered. I was impressed with the power delivery and tractability even during the high wind.

We made it both ways with no problems, even though the wind was concerning. I averaged 9.4 miles per gallon in not good conditions. I do not feel like I need a different rig to tow this trailer, I just won't tow it full of water or waste for very far.

 

[Martin Kodiak]

This year has been weird as everyone knows. We had lots of plans to go places but due to Covid we had to change many things.

Our second tow with our Telluride went much as the first. We headed up to the middle of the Cascades for the Fourth of July holiday. We were now experienced with towing with this rig and it hooked up, and towed with ease. I am averaging 10.1 MPG but I am towing through mountain passes. I use the Tekshona Brake controller and the Load Distribution hitch with Sway Control

We tow at limit and have had no problems. I always dry tow to keep weight down and try to distribute weight evenly through the trailer and rig.

Overview: The 2020 Kia Telluride is a capable towing rig when used with intelligence and care. My back in to my shop is kind of short. I have to make a 45 off the wide street and up a steep 15 foot rise into my shop. This rig does that with aplomb. I can jacknife it into place, pull up to straighten off and up the hill to the hole in the sky. Making adjustments on the 25 degree grade and backing into the shop is easy and effortless.

I have towed with a dozen or more rigs and this one never disappoints, and often impresses.

 

[Hoghead]

It wont be long until we get some towing tests done by various auto blogs but the note here about trailer brakes is an important one. I do find it odd that both the FWD and AWD models are rated the same.

It wont be long until we get some towing tests done by various auto blogs but the note here about trailer brakes is an important one. I do find it odd that both the FWD and AWD models are rated the same.

Hello everyone. We bought our Telluride early enough to get one. Now we are getting a trailer to camp with this summer. We bought the Telluride for it's 5,000 rating but it looks like it is only rated to 1,650 without brakes on the trailered vehicle.

Do I need to install a braking system to this rig to tow a 4,000 lb caravan?

Hello everyone. We bought our Telluride early enough to get one. Now we are getting a trailer to camp with this summer. We bought the Telluride for it's 5,000 rating but it looks like it is only rated to 1,650 without brakes on the trailered vehicle.

Do I need to install a braking system to this rig to tow a 4,000 lb caravan?

Yes you do as stated in car manual that they do not tell you about when buying vehicle that it does not come installed with wiring plug installed to hook up trailer over 1650 with electric brakes. Good luck getting a answer about having this done from Kia as Kia does not offer this or can they give you a answer about voiding warranty if you have it done at some other garage.

 

[Martin Kodiak]

Yes you do as stated in car manual that they do not tell you about when buying vehicle that it does not come installed with wiring plug installed to hook up trailer over 1650 with electric brakes. Good luck getting a answer about having this done from Kia as Kia does not offer this or can they give you a answer about voiding warranty if you have it done at some other garage.

My setup works aces as reported. Do you have documentation from Kia saying that you cannot? As I stated, anyone towing 5,000 pounds needs to have trailer brakes. Since Kia advertises that you can ( and you can) tow 5,000 pounds they would lose in a court of law if they said it voided the warrantee.

Just have a reputable company install the plug. My guy said it was actually pretty easy.

 

[KTM3040]

We took our Telluride out for it's first tow. We were towing at limit with a 4,600 lb trailer with a 500 lb tongue weight. We are running the techshona brake controller mentioned above and a Fastway e2hitch with load balancing and sway control.

Originally we had scheduled an easy tow out to Deception pass state park to meet with family. This tow would have been mostly flat land with hills and about 40 miles each way. With Corona virus hut down the park was closed and our reservation canceled.

We decided to go to our daughters house to visit the grand kids and take the trailer to stay in. This is a much more aggressive tow crossing three passes, two of them being pretty significant grades. A trip of 230 miles each way.

We set up the LD hitch following instructions and the tow went great! We had no problems with anything. No Bowing, no swaying and had a very secure feeling throughout. Well except the wind. We had big wind up on two of the passes each way, so much so that i had to gas / power down hill into the Columbia river gorge at the vantage bridge. A ten mile grade down. Even in the high wind the trailer and Telluride never stumbled or faltered. I was impressed with the power delivery and tractability even during the high wind.

We made it both ways with no problems, even though the wind was concerning. I averaged 9.4 miles per gallon in not good conditions. I do not feel like I need a different rig to tow this trailer, I just won't tow it full of water or waste for very far.

Hi Martin. What driving mode do you use when towing with your Telluride? Sport mode?