Kia Telluride Safety Rating: How Does it Stack Up?

Marie A
Nov 29, 2020

If you’re in the market for an SUV, you have many safe options to explore. Although the Kia Telluride is a newcomer, it shows a commitment to keeping you and your passengers safe on the road. Between its crash test ratings and high-tech safety features, you’re sure to be impressed.

2020 Kia Telluride - Photo by Kia

How safe is the 2020 Kia Telluride? 

The 2020 Kia Telluride received a 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a “Good” score from the IIHS. Combine that with 4.64 owner and 4.8 expert review ratings from Vehicle History to see why it’s a fan favorite.  

Although excellent crash test ratings provide true peace of mind, they aren’t everything. Vehicles must also have high-tech safety equipment that helps prevent collisions. Thankfully, the 2020 Kia Telluride offers the full package — and we’re here to tell you all about it.

Kia Telluride Crash Test Rating

The Kia Telluride has been tested by both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Here’s a look at their results.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

As a 2020 Top Safety Pick, the 2020 Kia Telluride definitely got some impressive scores on its IIHS crash tests. “Good” ratings were awarded across the board for its crashworthiness, including on the side, roof strength, and moderate overlap front tests.

As for crash avoidance and mitigation, it earned a “Superior” score for both of its vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention systems. LED headlights and LATCH ease of use scores both came in at the “Acceptable” range.

Only the halogen projector headlights earned a “Poor” rating as is common across all makes and models. Otherwise, it seems this SUV is as safe as they come and well worth the price.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

In the NHTSA’s crash tests, the 2020 Telluride received an overall 5-star rating due to its fantastic performance across all categories. They started things off by giving it four stars for both the driver and passenger front crash tests.

The same rating applied to its rollover test performance, which revealed a rather low 14.3% rollover risk during a crash. The dynamic tip result came in at a “No Tip” score, showing minimal risk of a rollover if you lose control of the vehicle.

2020 Kia Telluride - Photo by Kia

The side crash ratings were the most impressive with five stars across the board. Even the side pole barrier test was no match for this ultra-tough SUV.

The Kia Telluride not only performs well in crash tests, it has the safety equipment you need to avoid collisions. That way, you are protected from every angle, which promises to allow you to make the most of all your travels.

Available Safety Tech on the Kia Telluride

When it comes to safety equipment, Kia is a frontrunner in the automotive industry. They stay a step ahead of the competition by rolling out the latest technologies and making them standard on many of their vehicles.

Their most popular active safety systems include:

Forward Collision Warning

Kia puts a camera on the windshield to help you keep an eye on the road ahead. If the camera detects that you’re getting too close to the car ahead, the Forward Collision Warning system alerts you to the problem.

Lane Departure Warning

The windshield-mounted camera also carefully watches the lane markings to verify that your vehicle remains well centered. If you start to drift over to one side or the other, the Lane Departure Warning goes off to let you know.

Blind Spot Detection

With Blind Spot Detection on your side, you get a warning if any vehicles are lurking along the side of your SUV as you try to change lanes. The alert displays on the side mirror to let you know to hold off on the lane change until the other vehicle moves out of the way.

Crash Imminent Braking

If you do not respond to the collision warnings in a timely manner, Crash Imminent Braking will activate. This system swiftly applies the brakes to slow down or even stop the vehicle. If it doesn’t fully prevent the collision, braking early can help reduce impact speeds and potentially prevent serious injuries.

As these safety systems watch out for your wellbeing, you can avoid collisions even when obstructions in the roadway catch you by surprise. They act as your main backup on all your travels, giving you true confidence behind the wheel.

Photos: Kia

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