Kia reveals wrapped pre-production Telluride with intersecting design sketches and colour gradients.
Off-road video filmed in Alabama Hills highlights SUV’s durability on challenging terrain.
GPS coordinates and art-inspired patterns tie design to Telluride, Colorado and Kia’s styling philosophy.
Kia America has released new images of a camouflaged 2027 Telluride SUV ahead of the vehicle’s scheduled global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20. The pre-production model is shown navigating rugged off-road terrain in California.
The camouflage wrap, developed by the Kia Design Center America (KDCA), is based on the brand’s “Opposites United” design philosophy. Using intersecting outlines drawn from various design sketches, the wrap was created to conceal the vehicle’s production shape while incorporating abstract motifs that reflect its development process.
Kia Teases 2027 Telluride Ahead of Global Debut at Los Angeles Auto Show
“Designing a wrap for Telluride is far different than designing the vehicle beneath the vinyl,” said Tom Kearns, Vice President and Senior Chief Designer at KDCA. The wrap integrates visual influences from artists Keith Haring and Mr. Doodle, with overlapping lines and silhouettes derived from early design concepts.
The camouflage also features a gradient colour scheme that transitions from orange at the front to purple at the rear. According to Kearns, this warm-to-cool progression complements the vehicle’s amber daytime running lights while contrasting elements at the rear. Map coordinates printed near the bottom of the front doors point to Telluride, Colorado, the SUV’s namesake.
Custom Camo 2027 Kia Telluride | Photo: KiaThe off-road images were captured in the Alabama Hills region of central California. The area’s challenging landscape includes steep grades, rocky outcrops, water crossings, and sandy washes. The high desert location was selected to highlight the Telluride’s real-world performance and overlanding capabilities.
The new Telluride will be formally unveiled without camouflage at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Its design is rooted in Kia’s Opposites United philosophy, introduced in 2021 by Executive Vice President Karim Habib, which blends visual and conceptual contrasts across five core principles: Bold for Nature, Joy for Reason, Power to Progress, Technology for Life, and Tension for Serenity.
