Tired of beige, gray, or black interiors? So is Tom Kearns — and he’s doing something about it.
The Kia design chief is rolling out a much bolder interior color palette for the 2027 Kia Telluride, offering buyers a range of eye-catching shades including dark sage, eggplant, deep navy, and Tuscan umber.
Kearns recently told The Drive that the goal is to inject some much-needed energy into the Telluride’s cabin without going over the top.
“This offers something that’s dark and neutral, but not black or gray,” Kearns said, referring to the purple-toned interior option. “This gives a little more life to the interior, without being overpowered, you know? It’s pretty subtle.”
Altogether, the 2027 Telluride will offer six new interior colorways — an unusually bold move in the volume SUV segment, where black interiors still dominate showroom floors.
“But these options do give the vehicle a more upmarket feel, even if Kia’s going after the same demographic as before with this iteration,” The Drive writes. “After all, we’re used to seeing purple interiors in made-to-order Bentaygas and Cullinans, but in a Telluride? That’s a different look.”
According to Kearns, the mission is simple: make the Telluride look more expensive, without actually making it much more expensive.
And honestly, it’s a smart play.
Interior trim is one of the easiest ways to differentiate a vehicle and generate buzz, especially in a segment flooded with safe, monochromatic cabins. Giving buyers something unexpected — without pushing them into luxury-brand pricing — could be a winning formula.
We’re on board.
More purple interiors, please.
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