Running 24 hours a day, Kia’s West Point, Georgia assembly line rolled out about 360,000 vehicles last year, making it one of the most productive automotive plants in the country. Somehow, the challenge will be to squeeze out even more in 2026.
That’s because demand continues to grow for one particular model line among the six currently produced at the 2,200-acre site: the Kia Telluride. Nicknamed the “Selluride” inside the company, it’s far outstripped initial sales forecasts and the automaker is betting it could see another 50% surge with the launch of the second-generation SUV in the coming year.
More precisely, it’s expecting a flood of demand for an all-new version of the Telluride being added to the line this year. So, it was no surprise that when the Georgia plant celebrated the production of its 5 millionth vehicle this week it chose a 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid to mark the occasion.
What’s New
Kia
First launched in time for the 2020 model year, Kia quickly took the triple crown of automotive awards, the original Telluride named not only North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, but MotorTrend SUV of the Year and one of Car & Driver’s 10 Best.
For 2027, the Korean carmaker is back with a second-generation Telluride launching the new 3-row crossover at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November. The 2027 Telluride is 2.3 inches longer than the outgoing model, with a 3-inch stretch of its wheelbase. It gains about an inch in height, as well. Inside, it delivers more head, leg and shoulder room, especially in the third row.
Related: 2027 Kia Telluride Configurator Goes Live—We Pick the Trim Worth Buying
The second-generation Telluride doesn’t stray far from the original winning formula, though the grille carries over only the faintest elements of the traditional Kia “tiger nose” grille. It adopts a bolder, more squared-off look, framed by vertical bar headlights, said designer Kurt Kahl, in order to “frame…and sharpen the Telluride’s face feature Kia’s Star Map lighting graphic. The amber-hued DRL lighting returns with this sleeker, more modern expression.” But the biggest news for 2027 is the launch of a first-ever Telluride Hybrid.
Better Mileage = Bigger Share
Hybrids, in general, have scored a big surge in demand over the last several years, reaching 12.7% of all new vehicles sales in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. That was up from 10.8% the year before. Better mileage equals bigger sales, it seems. And that’s what Kia is counting on.
Telluride Hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four with two electric motors, power going through a six-speed automatic to all four wheels. The biggest draw: a combined fuel economy rating of 35 mpg, 13 more than the six-cylinder package. But Kia also takes advantage of the snappy torque electric motors can deliver. The hybrid package delivers a combined output of 329 hp and 339 lb-ft, — enough to tow up 4,000 pounds. By comparison, the carryover 3.5-liter V-6 manages to deliver just 287 hp and 260 lb-ft.
Tripling Sales
Kia
When Kia first laid out plans for the Telluride it had modest ambitions. After all, it was known as more of a bargain-basement brand with products like the Rio hatchback starting at $16,100 in the U.S. The Telluride was not just bigger – introducing Kia’s first three-row SUV – but had a starting price of $31,600 for the 2020 model year, well above anything to come before.
Related: 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Price Makes Palisade Look Tempting
That didn’t seem to matter. Backed up by rave reviews and an assortment of awards, sales quickly surpassed the automaker’s modest 60,000 target. On sale for only part of 2019, Kia still managed to deliver 58,604 of the SUVs. The following year the number jumped to 75,129 and has grown every year since, reaching 123,281 Tellurides in 2025.
Going forward, Kia believes it can hit a target of 180,000 sales this year – which would be a full 300% more than the original target for Telluride back in 2019. Significantly, the newest version of the SUV is expected to drive that surge. “Our early indications are that consumers are interested in the hybrid,” said Stuart Countess, president & CEO of Kia Georgia. Though the West Point plant can quickly shift output to meet demand, Countess said it currently expects the Telluride Hybrid will account for anywhere from 55 to 58% of the SUV’s sales going forward.
