Kia Telluride Towing Capacity: What the 2027 Model Can Pull

What Is the Kia Telluride?

The Kia Telluride is a three-row midsize SUV built by Kia and assembled in West Point, Georgia. The 2027 Telluride is the all-new second generation, offered with a turbocharged gas engine or the first Telluride turbo-hybrid powertrain.

This guide uses Kia’s published figures for the 2027 Kia Telluride. Towing ratings depend on equipment, so always confirm the numbers for a specific vehicle on its window sticker or with our team.

What Does Towing Capacity Mean?

Towing capacity is the heaviest trailer a vehicle is rated to pull when it is equipped the way the manufacturer specifies. That weight includes the trailer itself plus everything loaded on it.

Towing capacity is different from a vehicle’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which is the most the SUV itself can weigh with passengers and cargo. Kia lists a GVWR of 6,063 pounds for front-wheel-drive gas Telluride models and 6,261 pounds with all-wheel drive. Staying within both ratings keeps the vehicle working as designed.

How Much Can the 2027 Kia Telluride Tow?

The 2027 Kia Telluride can tow up to 5,000 pounds with the gas 2.5L turbo engine when properly equipped. The Telluride Hybrid is rated to tow up to 4,500 pounds. Kia notes that towing requires additional equipment, such as a hitch.

The gas engine pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid uses a six-speed automatic. Both offer front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive, depending on trim.

Does Every Telluride Trim Tow the Same?

Yes, within each powertrain. Kia lists 5,000 pounds for every gas trim, from the LX to the X-Pro SX Prestige, and 4,500 pounds for every hybrid trim.

What changes from trim to trim is the towing equipment. Some trims add a self-leveling rear suspension, and the X-Pro includes the tow hitch as standard. More on that below.

What Is the Telluride’s Maximum Tongue Weight?

The 2027 Kia Telluride owner’s manual lists a maximum tongue weight of 500 pounds for the gas 2.5L turbo. Tongue weight is the downward force a loaded trailer puts on the hitch ball.

Kia’s guidance is simple:

• Keep tongue load at 10% to 15% of the total loaded trailer weight.
• Load about 60% of the cargo toward the front of the trailer and 40% toward the rear.
• Weigh before you go. A public scale is an easy way to check both trailer weight and tongue weight.

Do You Need Trailer Brakes?

Yes, for heavier trailers. Kia’s 2027 Telluride manual rates the gas model at 1,653 pounds for a trailer without its own brakes and 5,000 pounds for a trailer with a brake system.

In other words, the full rating assumes a braked trailer. If you are shopping for a camper or boat trailer, check whether it has brakes before you match it to the vehicle.

Which Telluride Towing Features Come Standard?

Every 2027 Telluride, gas or hybrid, includes Tow Mode and Trailer Stability Assist, according to Kia’s features list. Tow Mode is a drive setting that optimizes the Telluride for towing.

Here is how the main towing equipment breaks down:

• Tow Mode: Standard on every gas and hybrid trim.
• Trailer Stability Assist (TSA): Standard on every gas and hybrid trim.
• Integrated tow hitch: Standard on the X-Pro and available on all other trims. Kia says it blends into the rear bumper and can be hidden when not in use.
• Self-leveling rear suspension: Standard on the gas X-Line EX, SX and higher trims, and on the hybrid SX and higher. Kia says it helps deliver confidence while towing.

What Makes the Telluride X-Pro Different?

The Telluride X-Pro is Kia’s most rugged Telluride. It adds all-terrain tires, an exclusive suspension, an electronic limited-slip differential, Terrain Mode, front and rear recovery points and 9.1 inches of ground clearance.

The X-Pro shares the 5,000-pound maximum towing rating with the other gas trims. Its advantage is the standard hitch and extra capability for boat ramps, dirt roads and campsites.

Which Telluride Is Better for Towing, Gas or Hybrid?

The gas Telluride is the better pick for the heaviest loads, with a 5,000-pound rating versus 4,500 pounds for the hybrid. The hybrid makes more power and uses less fuel in everyday driving.

MPG figures are EPA estimates without a trailer. Towing reduces fuel economy, and your results will vary.

If most of your driving is commuting around Seminole County with a few trips to the lake each year, the hybrid may suit you. If you plan to tow close to the limit, the gas model gives you more headroom.

How Do You Match a Trailer to Your Telluride?

Start with the trailer’s fully loaded weight, not its empty weight. Gear, water, fuel and coolers all add up, and that total must stay at or under the Telluride’s rating.

A quick checklist:

1. Find the loaded trailer weight and compare it with 5,000 pounds (gas) or 4,500 pounds (hybrid).
2. Check the tongue weight against the 10% to 15% guideline and the 500-pound gas maximum.
3. Confirm trailer brakes for anything over the unbraked limit.
4. Confirm the hitch is installed on the vehicle you are buying.

Owner’s Manual Towing Tips

Kia’s 2027 Telluride owner’s manual includes a few rules worth knowing before your first trip:

• Wait 1,200 miles. Kia says not to tow during the vehicle’s first 1,200 miles.
• Keep towing speed under 60 mph, and follow any lower posted limit.
• Slow down on long grades. On a long uphill grade, Kia says not to exceed 45 mph or the posted towing speed limit, whichever is lower.
• Ask about equipment. Kia recommends talking with an authorized Kia dealer about towing kit requirements.

Find a Towing-Ready Telluride at Greenway Kia North

The easiest way to get the right setup is to start with the right Telluride. Browse our Kia Telluride inventory for gas models or our Telluride Hybrid inventory for the turbo-hybrid trims. Ask us to confirm hitch and self-leveling equipment on any vehicle you like.

Want the full story on the new model? Read our 2027 Kia Telluride overview, or view our complete new vehicle inventory.

Greenway Kia North serves drivers from Longwood, Lake Mary, Sanford, Heathrow, Casselberry and Oviedo. Value your trade, then contact Greenway Kia North or call (407) 337-4788 to set up a test drive.

About the Author

This guide was prepared by the sales and service team at Greenway Kia North, a Kia dealership at 625 US Highway 17-92, Longwood, FL 32750. We serve drivers in Longwood, Lake Mary, Sanford, Heathrow, Casselberry, Oviedo, Deltona, DeBary and across Seminole County. Reach sales at (407) 337-4788 or service at (321) 207-8181.

References

Kia Media: 2027 Kia Telluride Specifications — https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/telluride/2027/specifications (5,000-lb maximum towing on every gas trim, engine output, GVWR, ground clearance, EPA-estimated MPG by trim)

Kia Media: 2027 Kia Telluride HEV Specifications — https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/telluride-hev/2027/specifications (4,500-lb maximum towing on every hybrid trim, 329 hp and 339 lb-ft, EPA-estimated MPG)

Kia Media: 2027 Kia Telluride Overview — https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/telluride/2027 (second generation, West Point, Ga. assembly, integrated hitch, self-leveling suspension, X-Pro equipment, hybrid 6-speed, towing equipment disclaimer)

Kia Media: 2027 Kia Telluride Features & Options — https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/telluride/2027/features (Tow Mode, Trailer Stability Assist, towing hitch and self-leveling rear suspension availability by gas trim)

Kia Media: 2027 Kia Telluride HEV Features & Options — https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/telluride-hev/2027/features (towing equipment availability by hybrid trim)

Kia Owner’s Manual (2027): If you decide to tow a trailer — https://ownersmanual.kia.com/full_webhelp/LQ2/2027/en_US/topics/t00422.html (500-lb maximum tongue weight, 1,653-lb unbraked rating, 10-15% tongue load, 60/40 loading, 1,200-mile break-in, towing speed guidance)