Kia Telluride Info, Upcoming Adventures and Crazy Cat-Lady Car? [Ask Nathan]

• Do you have more information on the Kia Telluride ?
• Upcoming Adventures?
• Need a car or van for a crazy cat-lady?

The first question comes from Twitter (@Nathanadlen) about information about the upcoming Kia Telluride SUV.

(Via Twitter@NathanAdlen) Saw the Kia Telluride at some sort of fashion show? 

Are they going to build it? Is it like the Borrego on a new platform?

Foxtrot1

A: Thanks for the question Foxtrot1.

Yes, they are building it and we should see its debut very soon, perhaps at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November. No – it has nothing to do with the failed Kia Borrego. Shame about that SUV; it was a decent SUV with some serious potential, but it came out at the worst possible time and few were sold. Bummer.

Still, this Kia Telluride (it looks like a good chance that the name will stick) will be a massive leap over the old-school Borrego. Kia keeps surprising TFL with their surprising AWD/4WD systems, so we expect that it should have some pretty good off-road chops. Kia knows the buzz is good on this machine, especially after they brought one out covered in off-road overlanding/safari gear during the New York Fashion Week.

Here’s everything I have on the upcoming Kia Telluride:

“Current” Features & Specs from Kia.com –

MECHANICAL:

• 3.5-liter V6 hybrid electric powertrain
• 400 combined horsepower
• 30 mpg, highway
• Transverse-mounted engine
• Advanced all-wheel drive

EXTERIOR:

• Front and rear-hinged back doors open to 90 degrees
• Largest tiger-nose grille
• Recessed quad-LED headlamps
• Horizontal LED indicator lights
• Polished-metal skid plate
• Hood scoops
• Thin, vertical taillights
• Dual exhaust tips
• 22-in., five-spoke wheels

INTERIOR:

• Seven seats in three rows
• Four black-leather captain’s seats
• Folded third-row bench
• Large sunroof
• Foldaway footrests
• Fingerprint-activated push-button start
• Wing-shaped, ceiling-mounted LED panel
• Smart Sensors in front four seats reveal passenger health information
• Interior door-panel view-screens
• 3D-printed dashboard, door panels, and steering wheel
• Light-Emitted Rejuvenation (LER) therapeutic system
• Seven-speaker Harman Kardon audio system and wireless headphones
• Swipe Command, a touch-sensitive, second-row media-control band
• Wireless cellphone charging

DIMENSIONS:

• Overall Height: 70.9 in.
• Overall Length: 196.9 in.
• Overall Width: 79.1 in.
• Wheelbase: 121.3 in.

Let’s hope they keep this thing as beefy as it looked in New York!

N

The next question comes from a few fans who wanted us to do another adventure series like Motor Mountain USA or Pebble to Prague.

Are you planning a video series like some of the other ones you’ve shot?

Fans, viewers and readers.

A: Hi Everyone!

YES! We are about to film a special series featuring two of the most popular SUVs in a multi-state race!

I can’t give too much away as the actual race, production and edit have yet to happen; however, I can say that six members of Team TFL are participating (including your’s truly) and that we’re less than a month away from debuting the show!

Keep your eyes on social media and, possibly a few hints on TFLnow on Youtube for additional information!

N

The last question comes from a fan who owns several cats and needs to transport them – often.

Nathan! Can you help a crazy cat-lady out?

First of all, I do watch you guys often, even though you joke about women not watching your shows! I miss Emme but I know people have to sometimes move on.

I have six older cats that need to be transported once a week. Each one is pretty big and they each have a kitty kennel that’s about 26 inches long and about a foot wide and about a foot tall. They are custom kennels and they used to fit perfectly in an old Ford Windstar. But that was years ago. Now they have to pile up in my Cadillac XT5 and I’m not happy about the situation. Neither are my kitties.

Can you suggest something new and inexpensive that can hold my cats in their boxes and is low enough for a shorty like me to use? I only buy American name brands, even if they really aren’t, because of my aging father who is stuck in the 1950s. So no Hondas or Toyotas for me.

What do you think about the Ford Transit or the Chevy City Express?

I’m grateful for any advice you can give me.

Thank you Nathan!

Scarlot

A:  Howdy Scarlot!

Thanks for watching our shows! I would probably forget the Chevrolet City Express, it’s a Nissan NV200 clone and its being discontinued very soon. The Ford Transit Connect is vastly superior and drives like a car. The only other van I would consider is the Ram ProMaster City. I like that little van quite a bit and good deals seem to be orbiting the little ProMaster.

I suggest you drive both as they compete toe to toe.

Good luck!

N