How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2021 Kia Telluride?

Editor’s note: This Car Seat Check was written in May 2019 about the 2020 Kia Telluride. Little of substance has changed with this year’s model. See what’s new for 2021 or see the models compared.  

The verdict: Kia’s largest SUV, the Telluride, is new for 2020 and is packed with utility and economy. The Telluride seats seven or eight across three rows, and its third row has one set of lower Latch anchors and two top tether anchors. Car seats in both rows went in easily and had ample room.

Does it fit three car seats? No; we tested a model with second-row captain’s chairs and a third-row bench seat. Two car seats fit in each.

Take a look at how the Latch system and each car seat scored below in our Car Seat Check of the 2020 Kia Telluride.

Related: Search Car Seat Checks

 A Grade

• Latch: Two sets of lower anchors sit just within the seat bight, but the stiff leather means you have to use some muscle to connect, especially with the infant’s hooklike connectors. Overall, we gave the Latch system an A grade, but we downgraded the infant seat’s grade to a B because the anchors were harder to access with that car seat’s connectors.
• Rear-facing convertible: This seat was easy to install; its chunky Latch connectors found the mark easier than the infant’s skinnier connectors. There was also plenty of room for this car seat.
• Forward-facing convertible: After removing the head restraint, the seat fit well and went in easily. The second row’s two top tether anchors sit a third of the way down the seatbacks and are easy to find and use.
• Third-row forward-facing convertible: In the third row, the convertible also fit well. The Telluride’s fixed head restraints are small enough that they don’t interfere with how the car seat fits on the seatback. Latch connection was also easy. One thing caregivers should note: Because of where the Latch anchors are positioned — taking up part of the middle seat — there isn’t room for a middle passenger when a car seat is installed using Latch.
• Third-row Latch: The one set of lower anchors are exposed and easy to use. The two top tether anchors — one in the middle position and one on the driver’s side — are easy to find and use.

B Grade

• Infant seat: There was plenty of room for this seat, but we had to use some extra muscle to connect to the Latch anchors. Reclining the seat to expose the anchor did not help and made the space around the anchor even tighter.
• Booster: After we raised the head restraint, the booster fit well. The buckle stalks sink into a pocket in the seat upholstery, however, which might make them difficult for kids to grasp and use independently.
• Third-row access: Getting to the third row is easy thanks to a one-button slide feature on the second-row chairs. This does not work if a car seat is installed, however. The resulting opening is a decent size, though larger people will need more space.
• Third-row booster: Again, the fixed head restraint didn’t interfere with how the booster fit on the seatback. Third-row legroom is quite tight with the second-row seats slid all the way back. The buckles are on floppy bases, which might make them tough for kids to grasp and use independently.

C Grade

• None

Grading Scale

A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.

B: One room, fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing the third row when available.

C: Marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. Difficult to access the third row when available.

D: Insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.

F: Does not fit or is unsafe.

About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks

Editors Jennifer Geiger, Jennifer Newman and Matt Schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.

We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.

Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.

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