VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Kia Telluride2020–2026
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Kia Telluride
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Kia Telluride Years to Avoid
4 recalls · 452 complaints
9 reported injuries
Top issue: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
3 recalls · 245 complaints
5 reported injuries
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4 recalls · 224 complaints
10 reported injuries
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Federal Defect Investigations
NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 1 past investigation into the Telluride became recall.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of October 28, 2026.
Kia Telluride — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 64 | 34 | 54 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 2 | 86 | 7 | — | 64 | 49 | 59 | Good |
| 2024 | 2 | 163 | 6 | — | 60 | 62 | 61 | Caution |
| 2023 | 3 | 149 | 2 | — | 61 | 72 | 65 | Good |
| 2022 | 4 | 224 | 10 | — | 54 | 79 | 63 | Caution |
| 2021 | 3 | 245 | 5 | — | 53 | 82 | 63 | Caution |
| 2020 | 4 | 452 | 9 | — | 39 | 81 | 54 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Kia Telluride Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the Telluride compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year Telluride to buy?+
The 2023 Kia Telluride scores highest on our Buyer Score (65/100) — combining a reliability score of 61/100 with a value score of 72/100. It has 3 recalls and 149 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which Telluride years have the most problems?+
The 2020, 2021, 2022 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2020 Telluride leads with 4 recalls and 452 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common Telluride problems?+
The most frequently reported Kia Telluride issues involve: UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.