Kia has built a more off-road-capable version of the Telluride, but you can't buy it.
That's because this one-off 2024 Kia Telluride X-Pro was built for the Rebelle Rally, the annual women's navigational rally that crosses California and Nevada deserts. Driver Verena Mei and navigator Susie Saxten will cover roughly 1,600 miles in this beefed-up Kia.
Introduced for the 2023 model year, the Telluride's X-Pro grade already boasts more ground clearance than other Tellurides. The Rebelle Rally Telluride received a 1.5-inch suspension lift on top of that, bringing total ground clearance to nearly 10.0 inches, according to Kia.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 tires mounted to 18-inch KMC716 wheels were shoved underneath the raised body. The Telluride also has skid plates, a custom roof rack, and custom front and rear bumpers designed to improve approach and departure angles.
2024 Kia Telluride X-Pro built for 2023 Rebelle Rally
No changes were made under the hood. The Telluride is sold exclusively with a 3.8-liter V-6 producing 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard, and while this version of the Telluride has all-wheel drive, lower trim levels get front-wheel drive as standard equipment.
The Rebelle Rally has produced some cool builds that show the possibilities of different SUV platforms, including a modified 2021 Infiniti QX80 with a 3.0-inch lift kit and all-terrain tires. Volkswagen even entered a rally-ready ID.4 electric crossver one year. But this Telluride in particular seems like it would fly out of showrooms if Kia decided to put something like it into production. The automaker is having no trouble shifting Tellurides as it is, though, so that seems unlikely.
The 2023 Rebelle Rally runs Oct. 12-21.
