We instrumented Kia’s three-row Telluride over a week of hot and cold snaps to quantify cool-down and warm-up times, rear-seat airflow, and the effectiveness of its heated and ventilated seats from a family-hauler perspective.
Our test vehicle was a 2024 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Pro (3.8-liter V6, 291 hp, 8-speed automatic, curb ~4,500 lb) with three-zone automatic climate control, roof-mounted second/third-row vents, and heated/ventilated front and second-row outboard seats. Tires were the X-Pro’s all-terrains, which slightly increase cabin noise but don’t materially affect HVAC. Instrumentation included K‑type thermocouples at headrest height (driver, 2nd-row center, 3rd-row right), an IR thermometer for seat surfaces, a vane anemometer at vents, and an SPL meter at ear level. Cool-down: vehicle heat-soaked for 60 minutes in direct sun (ambient 96°F, 62% RH), cabin starting at 128°F.
Warm-up: overnight cold-soak at 23°F, 35% RH. Auto mode, 72°F setpoint, recirc on for cool-down; rear zone active. Cool-down results: front row dropped to 85°F in 4:10 and reached 72°F at 11:40. Second row hit 74°F at 12:50 and 72°F at 13:05.
Third row trailed, stabilizing at 74°F by 15:10; fully reaching 72°F required 17:00 unless we bumped rear fan to max, which shaved ~1:20. Max fan produced 66 dBA up front, tapering to 52 dBA once blower stepped down after minute five. The belt-driven A/C has ample capacity; recirc is essential in high solar load—opening fresh air added roughly two minutes to target. Warm-up results: with engine and seat heaters on, the front row reached 68°F in 6:20 and 72°F in 10:40.
Second row matched 72°F at 12:30; third row reached 70°F by 14:50 with the rear zone on HI and floor/ceiling split. Defrost performance was strong: windshield cleared in 2:30 with rear defogger and mirrors on; side glass cleared by 4:20. The steering wheel heater reached comfort temperature in about one minute. Expect slightly longer times if you prioritize EV-like coasting; the V6’s waste heat speeds things once coolant is up.
Rear-seat airflow measured competitive for the class. At fan level 7/8, second-row roof registers showed 2.6–3.1 m/s at the center positions, while third-row vents delivered 1.8–2.3 m/s. Floor ducts in the second row registered 0.9–1.2 m/s. Subjectively, the ceiling vents’ aimability covers shoulders and face well; third-row occupants benefit most when the rear zone is uncoupled and set one fan step higher than front.
Seat heating and ventilation proved effective. Front seat heaters (High) brought cushion surface from 68°F to 100°F in 1:40, peaking at 112–115°F by 3:20; backrests stabilized around 108°F. Second-row heaters were within ~10% of those times. In the hot-soak test, front ventilation (High) dropped cushion surface from 92°F to 80°F in 4:00 (≈12°F delta) and to 74–76°F after cabin normalization; blower noise measured 39–41 dBA at head level.
Second-row ventilation felt milder, delivering a 7–9°F surface drop. Overall, the Telluride’s HVAC is strong for a big, non-turbo V6 three-row. It cools the front two rows quickly and the third row acceptably with the rear zone engaged, while warm-up is brisk once coolant heat is available. Heated seats are rapid and evenly distributed; ventilation is above average up front and adequate in row two.
For hot-climate families, keep recirc on and use rear-zone independence; for cold climates, remote start and seat heaters meaningfully cut time to comfort.
