Irvine – September 08, 2026 -- The new 2027 Kia Telluride has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest honor, the 2026 TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+) designation. The award makes Telluride the fifth Kia model to receive the 2026 TSP+ rating in the U.S., joining the K4, EV9, Sorento and Sportage.
IIHS tightened its 2026 testing standards
The institute strengthened its criteria this year to prioritize rear-seat passenger protection and improve crash-prevention performance. Updated protocols now require stricter rear-passenger safety in moderate overlap frontal crashes, along with tougher standards for pedestrian detection and high-speed vehicle-to-vehicle collision prevention.
To qualify for TSP+ 2026, vehicles must score 'good' in small overlap front, moderate overlap front and side crash tests, and their headlights must rate 'acceptable' or 'good' across every trim level. Standard front crash prevention systems must also earn a 'good' pedestrian rating and an 'acceptable' or 'good' score in the vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0 test -- a requirement that extends to any optional systems as well.
Only Telluride models built after June 2026 carry the rating
The TSP+ designation applies specifically to Telluride units manufactured after June 2026, mirroring similar production-date cutoffs for the Sorento (built after September 2025) and Sportage (built after May 2025).
SeungKyu (Sean) Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America, said the Telluride has become one of the brand's most iconic vehicles since launch, with safety as a core pillar of that success, and that the IIHS certification confirms the priority placed on safety throughout the redesign.
The redesigned SUV adds a hybrid powertrain and more airbags
The 2027 Telluride marks the second generation of Kia's three-row flagship SUV, with a larger footprint delivering more interior and cargo space and easier third-row access. For the first time, buyers can opt for a turbo-hybrid powertrain producing a combined 329 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque, with an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined on the EX FWD trim.
The redesigned body structure is stiffer and includes 10 standard airbags, among them a new center front airbag positioned between the driver and front passenger. Second-row seatbelt buckles are now illuminated, and third-row belts add pretensioners. Kia also expanded its driver-assistance suite with hands-on detection, Lane Following Assist 2, an in-cabin camera and a new forward parking distance warning alongside the existing reverse warning.