Kia came on the scene in early 2019 with a new, three-row SUV that would be different than any Kia SUV before it. Though many were unsure of Kia’s choice of name for the new SUV, the Telluride quickly turned heads in the automotive community. Less than one year later, the Kia Telluride is one of the most popular and highly-rated SUVs on the market, earning it a quirky but well-suited new nickname.

The Kia Telluride’s new, perfectly-suited nickname

The three-row Telluride began hitting dealerships nearly one year ago in early 2019, and it’s been flying off the lots since. According to MotorTrend, the Telluride has become so popular in such a short amount of time, that it’s received a surprisingly fitting and quirky nickname.

At a recent launch, Kia’s director of corporate communications, James Bell, opened up about how the Telluride’s success is not lost on Kia and its employees. In fact, people at Kia are “so excited about its sales performance that internally its employees refer to the Telluride as the ‘Sell-u-ride.'” And the “Sell-u-ride” is selling so well, Kia is putting all their effort behind meeting demand.

According to CNET, Kia has announced it will be “ramping up production of the Telluride SUV in response to consumer demand.” Expecting the overwhelming popularity of the “Sell-u-ride” to keep growing, Kia is committing to producing 100,000 Tellurides per year. 

The rise of the Kia Telluride

March 2019 was Kia’s first full month of Telluride sales and the perfect indication that it wouldn’t have a hard time selling. According to Kia, it sold more than 5,000 units that March, moving full-steam ahead to gathering 58,604 total sales for its first year. And the Telluride’s impressive first year doesn’t even include all 2019 months. November 2019 was the best month of the year for Telluride sales, selling more than 6,000 vehicles.

And it seems Kia is only moving ahead with full force, selling nearly 5,000 units in the first month of 2020. Kia Director Bell claims that the new Telluride is only staying on dealer lots for an average of seven to nine days. With the Kia Telluride responsible for more than 12 percent of SUVs so far in 2020, it only seems to be gaining in popularity. So what is it about the Telluride that’s making it sell like hotcakes?

Why everyone’s in love

The Kia Telluride isn’t just popular because it’s new. The minute the Telluride debuted, experts and consumers alike couldn’t help but be in awe. Consumer Reports, which feels no love lost when reviewing all new vehicles, gives the 2020 model one of the highest overall scores it’s ever given.

The Telluride is ranked as the No. 1 midsize SUV out of 24 total SUVs in the segment, with an almost-unbelievable overall score of 92 (out of 100). Consumer Reports admittedly gives it a predicted reliability rating of four (out of five) simply because of the model’s newness but gives a predicted owner satisfaction rating of five and an amazing road test score of 97 (out of 100), calling the Kia Telluride a “formidable competitor.”

The new Telluride is impressing more than just the experts at Consumer Reports, winning a “triple crown” of prestigious automotive awards. According to Kia, receiving these awards caps their “year of unprecedented success” and it’s the “first time ever that an SUV has won all three awards in one year.” The 2020 Kia Telluride earns the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award from North American Car and Truck of the Year, as well as MotorTrend’s SUV of the Year and a spot in Car and Driver’s 10 Best.