Are they coming for us...(Kia, etc.)?

normal_dave

waytoomuchwritinginposts.
I continue to go to sleep each day, hoping I'll wake up to news of immediate import of Triton L200 UTE, or the new Pajero Sport with the Super Select II drive train, leading to a "new to me" purchase of a used one a couple years down the road, but today, again, the answer was "No".

So I see the release of Kia's Telluride (and Hyundai's Palisade later). Digging into the specs, things look awfully familiar.
3.8L V6, 8-speed, AWD, locking center differential, 7 passenger, 5,000LB towing, skid plates, 8" ground clearance, independent suspension, etc. and a 10yr/100K warranty to boot?
Telluride

Add to that, I haven't looked at J.D. Power's initial quality study in a way long time, things seem upside down to me: My favorite is hanging out down the list with Chrysler and Subaru.
2018086a.jpg

What sort of blasphemy is this that I'm caught looking online at the Telluride? As far as specs, is this thing "close enough" to put into the list of possible replacements for our beloved/orphaned Gen 3 Montero's someday? I'd hate to end up on the "dark side", but we haven't been able to get what we want (new) here for going on 13 years...

Other than not winning the popularity contest, or resale values, and getting run off the forum "on a rail", what other issues am I missing with this SUV?

Thoughts?
 

bearman512

Adventurer
Front wheel drive to begin with. All wheel drive is not 4 wheel drive whether it has a center locking differential or not. This looks very much like the Explores, Discovery etc. Great mall crawler at best. I like how it looks but it will never take the place of a Monty, or T4R.
 

Toasty

Looking for that thing i just had in my hand...
The Koreans have traded places with the Japanese as far as quality goes, they used to license copy Japanese engines and put them in some of the poorest quality cars on the road. These days they make some of the highest quality machines on the road, meanwhile Toyota and Mitsubishi slip behind even further.
 

vintageracer

To Infinity and Beyond!
The Telluride is a Korean designed vehicle assembled in the Kia West Point Georgia assembly plant with parts from USA suppliers and other worldwide suppliers. Hyundai assembles their stuff in Alabama with parts made in the USA and other worldwide suppliers.

Maybe just maybe it's the USA workers providing quality parts and quality assembly practices that makes the Korean vehicles so damn good!
 

billiebob

Well-known member
Jeep makes/made the Compass.... what is different?
Most of that ad is about connectivity. In the 1950s the edge was build a ladies car.

This one came with an umbrella and raincoat +++ for a lady. Most were sold with a clutch tho.
511978

In the 1960s mens testosterone made a come back and the Boss, the Hemi and the Rat ruled.

511979

1970 brought in Ralph Nader and OPEC... suddenly the Pinto was the most important trend. The Civic was god. The Pinto and Vega guaranteed the Japanese success.

511980

The 1980s and baby boomers were recovering from 17% mortgages and in need of getting the boys to hockey.
Enter Lee Iacoca and the minivan.

511984

And the 1990s, maybe the Corvette got its balls back but areodynamics were gonna rule and the Taurus was 1st.

511983

2000, we are almost recovered. Think BIG !! Ford Expedition, Bugatti, until the money driving that big drive BURST.

511985

2010, who would have thought cars would not be driven by driving. Today, all it takes to sell a car is connectivity. And that happens by the hour. Used to be a car depreciated 20% as it left the lot. Today.... ????

511989

But I am positive about the future...

512002
 
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offthepath

Adventurer
Interesting find. As our Gen 3 gets more off road focused, it would be nice to have a solid family vehicle at some point. I have several searches set for Gen 3 monteros with under 100k but nothing has popped up for a long time that is not stupid money.

In a few years I may look more at lesser know brands like Kia for a primary vehicle. But I still would be in the sub 10k price range so that seems to limit option in 5-10 year old vehicle, especially for brands like Kia.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
The Koreans have traded places with the Japanese as far as quality goes, they used to license copy Japanese engines and put them in some of the poorest quality cars on the road. These days they make some of the highest quality machines on the road, meanwhile Toyota and Mitsubishi slip behind even further.
I've heard people describe it as the Koreans have adopted the Japanese mantra of quality instead of quantity. That's what Toyota used to say back in the 1980s, that they had no interested in selling a lot of cars or being #1 but just wanted to make good cars.

I honestly think if Kia designed a straight forward global-type 4wd pickup such as the Hilux/Triton/Navara and sold it here it would do well.


Especially if it has a stick shift.


BTW, I don't put a lot of stock in JD Power and initial quality, but I do think Toyota has definitely slipped. If/when I replace my Tacoma it won't be with a new Tacoma. Maybe another used one. But I'd buy a new Ranger before a Tacoma.
 

normal_dave

waytoomuchwritinginposts.
Interesting discussions.

Agree it misses on 4WD, transfer case, add gearing to that with the FWD/AWD Telluride at 3.64 drive gear mated to an eight speed which does have a 4.80 first gear. I thought I read where the "snow mode" traction control option was only available to the Canadian market at this time, not positive about that one. It does seem the up and coming car companies stay with quality until perception/customer base utopia is achieved, then coast for awhile. Dig up a copy of the book "The Reckoning" by David Halbertstam, a really cool look at the American and Japanese auto industry history as "told" through the eyes of Ford and Nissan.
Telluride specs (media kit)

So in short, after WWII, our experts, including Deming and Kaiser, (while basically being snubbed by our own auto industry), advised a crushed postwar Japanese manufacturing industry and they listened to us. Then it would appear, in time, the "students became the teacher" in terms of quality. Now, here we are discussing the next generations of those original "students", a Korean car, designed in California, built in America at Alabama/Georgia line, with a very high surveyed "perception" of initial quality, which reluctantly seems to be based on reality using recent years of data.

While I don't see it putting my Montero "out to pasture", in reality, I think "offthepath" has it pegged, a few years ahead, it could be a real sleeper bargain and handle 80% or so plus of our daily driver requirements of the Monty, and it appears more reliably to boot. With all that said, can't we just get rid of the "chicken tax" get an L200 Triton truck, or just yhe new generation Pajero Sport over here? (please)?

Well, not this morning at least, maybe tomorrow morning...?
 

bushnut

Adventurer
You all forget that “the Industry” doesn’t want to sell us vehicles that last. They want to lease us a vehicle that we trade in every 5 years. They are after all a capitalist industry that is driven by units sold.
 

GregSplett

Adventurer
An Oregon Kia dealership has given a Telluride to a youtuber to use as his camping platform. I guess they are outfitting it with winches and such as I type. So I guess the answer is kind of yes they are targetting part of the community here.

 

normal_dave

waytoomuchwritinginposts.
FCA could work around the chicken tax by building them within NAFTA and calling them Rams.
...Forgot about the Fiat Fullback!, mechanically identical to the L200, (diesel engine only option, i'd like that too btw), but wouldn't that still be considered a light truck, import, and subject to the dreaded chicken tax? I actually prefer the Fiat horizontal grille over the Transformers styled Mitsubishi "DYNAMIC SHIELD grille (w/echo emphasis added). Maybe Ram could call it "Dakota" or something like that.
Fiat Fullback
DSC_0818-1024x681.jpg
 

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