The all-new 2027 Kia Telluride has picked up an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating, the institute’s highest designation, making it one of five Kia models to earn the award under the organization’s tightened 2026 criteria. That is not a small thing for a vehicle barely off the assembly line.
IIHS raised the bar this year. The 2026 testing protocols demand stronger rear-seat passenger protection in moderate overlap front crashes, tougher pedestrian crash prevention standards, and higher thresholds for vehicle-to-vehicle crash avoidance at speed. Earning it under the new rules, with a freshly redesigned vehicle, says something about how Kia prioritized the engineering.
The second-generation Telluride rides on a more rigid body structure and comes standard with 10 airbags, including a front-row center airbag between the driver and front passenger. That center bag is increasingly common across the industry, but it still hasn’t reached every competitor in the three-row space.
Kia also added illuminated seatbelt buckles in the second row and pre-tensioners for the third-row belts. Those are the kinds of details that rarely make it into marketing copy but absolutely show up in crash test scoring. IIHS protocols now scrutinize rear-seat outcomes more closely than ever.
The Telluride’s driver-assist suite has expanded too. Lane Following Assist 2, Hands on Detection, an in-cabin camera, and forward-facing parking distance warning all come as part of the package. None of these systems replace an attentive driver, but they collectively contribute to the crash avoidance scores that IIHS now weights more heavily in its rating formula.
Five models sitting at TSP+ gives Kia a lineup depth that not every mainstream brand can match. The K4, EV9, Sorento, and Sportage round out the list, spanning sedans, electrics, and multiple SUV sizes. Compare that to brands with twice the model count and fewer top safety picks to show for it.
The Telluride has always been a critical nameplate for Kia. When the first generation launched in 2020, it redefined what buyers expected from the brand, pulling conquest customers from Honda, Toyota, and even some domestic three-row stalwarts. Safety was part of that pitch from day one.
This second generation, built at Kia’s West Point, Georgia plant, arrives bigger in every dimension. More cargo space, better third-row access, and for the first time, a turbo-hybrid powertrain option producing 329 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. The EX FWD trim with that hybrid setup carries an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined, a number that would have been unthinkable in a three-row SUV just a few years ago.
The TSP+ rating applies to Tellurides built after June 2026, so early production units may not carry the designation. That is a distinction buyers need to pay attention to at the dealership.
Kia’s push into safety credibility has been steady and deliberate over the past several years, and it comes at a time when the brand still works to shake lingering reputational baggage from its earlier decades. Crash test ratings don’t lie, though. The Telluride just passed the hardest version of the exam IIHS has ever administered.
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