The 2027 Kia Telluride is rated to tow 5,000 pounds properly equipped, and the Telluride Hybrid 4,500 pounds. Tow Mode is standard on all ten gas trims, and both X-Pro trims carry a tow hitch from the factory. Maximum tongue weight is 500 pounds, and the sections below match those ratings to the lakes and back roads around Hamburg.

Towing Capacity

5,000 pounds on the gas Telluride, 4,500 on the hybrid, both properly equipped.

The gas rating applies across all ten trims, from the $39,190 LX to the X-Pro SX Prestige, so towing capability is not something you buy your way up to on this vehicle. The hybrid is rated at 4,500 pounds across all five of its trims. Both figures assume the vehicle is properly equipped, which means the hitch and wiring are fitted and the load is within the vehicle's weight ratings.

Configuration	Maximum towing	Engine torque
Telluride, all ten gas trims	5,000 lb	311 lb-ft, 1,700 to 4,000 rpm
Telluride Hybrid, all five trims	4,500 lb	339 lb-ft combined

The torque figure is the part that describes how towing actually feels. The gas engine holds 311 lb-ft flat from 1,700 rpm, which is low enough that a loaded trailer on the Route 61 climb over Blue Mountain does not need a downshift to keep pace. The hybrid's 339 lb-ft is higher still, and its electric assist arrives from rest, which helps most on a boat ramp.

Payload and Weight Ratings

GVWR is the ceiling for the vehicle, its occupants and everything in it.

Configuration	GVWR	Curb weight	Available payload
Telluride LX, front-drive	6,063 lb	4,381 to 4,420 lb	1,643 lb
Telluride X-Pro SX, all-wheel drive	6,261 lb	4,729 to 4,736 lb	1,525 lb
Telluride Hybrid EX, front-drive	6,283 lb	4,661 to 4,700 lb	1,583 lb

Maximum tongue weight is 500 pounds, with either a dead-weight or a weight-distributing hitch. The payload column is the difference between the vehicle's GVWR and its maximum curb weight, so it is the conservative end of the range. Seven passengers and their luggage come out of that figure before anything goes on the hitch, which is why a full house and a heavy trailer are two different trips.

The Towing Package and Hitch

Standard on both X-Pro trims, optional across the rest of the range.

A towing hitch is factory equipment on the X-Pro SX and X-Pro SX Prestige and is offered as an option on every other trim, gas or hybrid. Tow Mode, which adjusts the transmission's shift behaviour for a loaded trailer, is standard equipment on all ten gas trims rather than bundled into an option pack. The X-Pro trims also add front and rear recovery points, which are the fittings that matter when a trailer has to be repositioned on soft ground at a launch.

Trailering Hardware and Terrain Modes

All-wheel drive brings a terrain system with three surface settings.

From the X-Line EX upward, all-wheel-drive Tellurides carry Terrain Mode with snow, mud and sand settings, alongside the standard Drive Mode Select. The X-Pro adds 9.1 inches of ground clearance against 7.4, all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels with more sidewall than the 20s and 21s elsewhere in the range, off-road-tuned dampers, and a Ground View Monitor that shows the surface under the vehicle below 6 mph. For a wet, rutted launch at a county lake in March, those four together are worth more than the extra 500 pounds of rating.

What You Can Actually Tow

Three loads that fit inside 5,000 pounds, drawn from this market.

Load	Where it goes	Fits the rating
A 17 to 19 ft runabout on a single-axle trailer	Blue Marsh Lake, Lake Ontelaunee	Yes, on either powertrain
A pair of personal watercraft on a double trailer	Beltzville State Park	Yes, on either powertrain
A small travel trailer or teardrop camper	Lehigh Gorge State Park, up US-209	Check the trailer's loaded weight against 5,000 lb

Weigh the trailer loaded rather than working from its dry weight, and count the passengers and gear against the payload figure above. Bring the trailer's paperwork to us in Hamburg and we will match it against the specific vehicle you are considering before you commit. Customers tow to us from Reading, Allentown and Lebanon to do exactly that.

Towing FAQ

How much can a 2027 Kia Telluride tow?

5,000 pounds properly equipped with the 2.5-liter turbo gas engine, on all ten gas trims. The Telluride Hybrid is rated at 4,500 pounds across its five trims.

Does the Telluride come with a tow hitch?

A towing hitch is standard on the X-Pro SX and X-Pro SX Prestige and available as an option on every other trim.

Is Tow Mode standard on the Telluride?

Yes. Tow Mode, which optimises towing performance, is standard on all ten gas trims.

Can the Telluride tow a boat?

A runabout in the 17 to 19 foot range on a single-axle trailer sits comfortably inside the 5,000-pound rating. Weigh the boat, trailer, fuel and gear together rather than using the hull's dry weight.

Does the hybrid tow less than the gas Telluride?

Yes, by 500 pounds: 4,500 against 5,000, both properly equipped. The hybrid makes more torque, at 339 lb-ft against 311.

What is the maximum tongue weight of the 2027 Telluride?

500 pounds, whether the trailer runs a dead-weight or a weight-distributing hitch.

What is the payload of the 2027 Telluride?

Working from GVWR minus maximum curb weight, a front-drive LX has about 1,643 pounds available and an all-wheel-drive X-Pro SX about 1,525 pounds. Passengers count against that figure.

Which Telluride is best for towing?

Any gas trim carries the full 5,000-pound rating, so the choice comes down to hardware: the X-Pro SX arrives with the hitch and the recovery points fitted, plus 9.1 inches of ground clearance for a soft or rutted launch.

Do I need all-wheel drive to tow?

The 5,000-pound rating applies to front-drive and all-wheel-drive gas trims alike. All-wheel drive with Terrain Mode helps most on a wet ramp or an unpaved approach, which is where traction rather than rating decides the day.

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