Is the 2020 Kia TELLURIDE reliable?

The 2020 Kia TELLURIDE has 900 complaints filed with NHTSA (2.2x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: LIGHTING problems.

What are common problems with the 2020 Kia TELLURIDE?

Top problems: LIGHTING (182 complaints, avg repair $500); VISIBILITY (153 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (143 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2020 Kia TELLURIDE?

Yes, there are 7 recall(s): SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, TRAILER HITCHES, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST. Contact any Kia dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Kia TELLURIDE?

The 2020 Kia TELLURIDE gets 21 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2286. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2020 Kia TELLURIDE?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2020 Kia TELLURIDE is approximately $1,652/year (suv-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2020 Kia TELLURIDE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Kia TELLURIDE has 900 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.2x the segment average of 401. The most common issue is lighting problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: the headlights at night are poor. they do not illuminate traffic signs such as: speed limit, stop, street/highway info, yield, warning, etc. when you approach a the upside of a hill, visibility is limited to 30-50 feet. side vision when turning is non-existent. this occurs at night when in motio. There are 7 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 12 fire reports filed.

12 fire reports 6 crash reports 7 injuries

900

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

5/5

Safety Stars

2.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

LIGHTING

182 complaints

20%

• THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT ARE POOR. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE TRAFFIC SIGNS SUCH AS: SPEED LIMIT, STOP, STREET/HIGHWAY INFO, YIELD, WARNING, ETC. WHEN YOU APPROACH A THE UPSIDE OF A HILL, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO 30-50 FEET. SIDE VISION WHEN TURNING IS NON-EXISTENT. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTIO
• THE TELLURIDE EX HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT'S HEADLIGHTS, ESPECIALLY IN A DIMLY LIT AREA. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE IN NORMAL MODE (NOT HIGH BEAM) ON A STREET THAT DOES NOT HAVE STREETLIGHTS (NO AMBIENT LIGHTS) OR YOU ARE GOING AROUND A TURN, OR YOU ARE GOING SLIGHTLY UPHILL, THERE IS VERY LITTLE VISIBILITY
• HALOGEN HEADLAMPS ON THE EX MODEL DO A POOR JOB OF ILLUMINATING THE ROAD AHEAD WHEN IN LOW BEAM MODE. I CAN HARDLY SEE A FEW FEET. I ALSO DRIVE A LEXUS WHOSE HEADLAMPS DO A FANTASTIC JOB OF ILLUMINATION IN LOW BEAM. I AM HAVING TO PERIODICALLY ALTERNATE BETWEEN HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM MODES (TO AVOID

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT ARE POOR. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE TRAFFIC SIGNS SUCH AS: SPEED LIMIT, STOP, STREET/HIGHWAY INFO, YIELD, WARNING, ETC. WHEN YOU APPROACH A THE UPSIDE OF A HILL, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO 30-50 FEET. SIDE VISION WHEN TURNING IS NON-EXISTENT. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTIO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2020 Kia TELLURIDE

Based on 213 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 6K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

163

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

VISIBILITY

In line with typicalmedian 5K mi · 98 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

LIGHTING

In line with typicalmedian 9K mi · 36 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 5K mi · 27 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

In line with typicalmedian 6K mi · 16 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

In line with typicalmedian 8K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

High-mileage issuemedian 78K mi · 17 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (7)

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER13/08/2019

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The seat belt assemblies in the front passenger, second, and/or third row seats may not tightly secure a child restraint system in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant in a crash.

Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect seat belt assemblies. The repair will also include replacing the driver's seat belt which has a non-U.S. specified label, with a U.S. specification seat belt. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC181.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2020 Kia TELLURIDE

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,286

Per month

$191

Per mile

19.1¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,527/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$2,001/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2020 Kia TELLURIDE

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,652

Full coverage / month

$138

Liability only / year

$600

vs US avg

-1%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (suv-midsize)1.05x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating0.94x

× vehicle age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1652

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Kia TELLURIDE Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

24 months

Transmission fluid

60K mi

Engine coolant

60K mi

Spark plugs

90K mi

Cabin air filter

15K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

60K mi

Turbo engines (Optima 2.0T, Sorento 2.5T) may benefit from more frequent oil changes.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Kia New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

5 yr / 60K mi

Powertrain

10 yr / 100K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

10 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / 100K mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

10 year powertrain not transferable to subsequent owners

These are the terms for a new Kia. If you're buying a used 2020 TELLURIDE, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Kia dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 900 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT ARE POOR. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE TRAFFIC SIGNS SUCH AS: SPEED LIMIT, STOP, STREET/HIGHWAY INFO, YIELD, WARNING, ETC. WHEN YOU APPROACH A THE UPSIDE OF A HILL, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO 30-50 FEET. SIDE VISION WHEN TURNING IS NON-EXISTENT. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTIO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: WE BOUGHT OUR 2020 KIA TELLURIDE 7-3-2019 & ON 7-11-2019 OUR WINDSHIELD BROKE FROM A SMALL ROCK WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TODAY FROM A PASSING CAR. I HAVE HEARD OF 100S OF OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THESE INFERIOR WINDSHIELD WINDOWS WITH POOR UNSAFE PRODUCTION.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: VERY SMALL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD AND WITHIN AN HOUR BEFORE WE COULD GET IT FILLED IT RAN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ALL TELLURIDES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: THE DASH SHOWED THAT MY ENGINE WAS OVER HEATING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGHE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 7 recalls have been completed — free at any Kia dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)