[caption id="attachment_10391" align="alignnone" width="638"] 2020 Telluride[/caption]   By Don Hammonds Every year, auto riders and car geeks alike pick one car that stands out from every other, showering it with adoration, curiosity, and of course, clamoring to see it on the road whenever they can. This year, there are two--Chevy's awesome new mid-engine Corvette... And the one pictured above, the 2020 Kia Telluride SUV.  You may not exactly clamor to see it on the road, after all--that honor belongs to sports cars, ultra luxury models, and nearly one of a kind exotics. But never mind all that. We can honestly say the Telluride is "all that" and a bag of chips so to speak.  It's a joy to drive, a piece of loveliness to behold--at least from the side--and a revelation in which to ride, and one heck of a bargain for a SUV that is way, way ahead of anything it competes with in its market segment, and a product that will give many a luxury SUV  a run for its money. When you get behind the wheel, you are absolutely swathed with luxury accoutrements like quilted leather seats, a dashboard that looks terribly expensive, and gauges and controls that are right at the top of its price class.  It is tomb quiet, handles as though it was born for curves and straightaways, and is plenty roomy all around. Let's take a look at the particulars: Price: Our test model was a 2020 Kia Telluride SX V6 woth al wheel drive, and the base price of this particularly version was $43,490.  With options, the price rose to $46,860. Economy:  The Telluride does quite well in this area. Given how heavy it feels and how majestically it rides, it gets 21 miles per gallon overall, uses 4.8 gallons of gas to drive 100 miles, and gets 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway. You will spend about $2,250 more in fuel costs over a five year period compared to similar vehicles, and yuor annual fuel cost will be $1,950  based on driving five years and 15,000 miles using gasoline that costs about $2.70 a gallon. Performance: Quite brisk, to be honest. It corners well, accelerates briskly, and sticks to the road like glue.  It gives you utter confidence in the way it drives. Technology: Safety: Standard advanced safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and a drowsy driver warning system. Aesthetics: When seen from the side, the Telluride is dramatically different from all of its competitors with nice character lines along its flanks, some nifty expensive looking trim, and cool wheels, especially the black tinted ones.  The front end isn't too bad, but it looks a bit too overworked and dazzling for my tastes.  It needs to be a bit toned down, in my opinion.  The rear end is distinctive too, but blends in a bit more with the rest of the product compared to the front end.   But inside, wow!  Everything you want and more, and its very tastefully done, too.  Some auto writers say that there aren't enough small storage bins in the interior, but it suit me just fine! Warranty: The Teluride has a 10 year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty, a five year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty, and a five year/60,000 mile roadside assistance plan.