The soon to be released 2020 Kia Telluride, the production of this concept model, revealed itself to the American public during the New York Fashion Week show. It wasn’t the showroom model, but a heavily customized version by designer Brandon Maxwell. The car was sent there to raise awareness for its market launch in early 2019, and also to raise money for charity. 

Brandon Maxwell’s custmoized Kia Telluride has a Texas theme about it and features natural wood interior trim and saddle-inspired double-stitched leather adornments on the dash, door panels and grab handles. It also has a similar deep green paint to the Detroit concept, custom front and rear bumpers, skidplates and sidestep sills, 265/50R-20 off-road tires wrap around flat-black alloy wheels and leather trimmed cargo area. This vehicle is supposed to be a super deluxe ranch vehicle, and it’s equipped accordingly. Just like the production version, this Telluride has a V6 engine and carries up to 8 people.

“My Mom drove me to school in East Texas in a Kia Sedona, and my adoration for the brand runs deep,” said Maxwell. “When I left Marfa, Texas, where I designed my SS’19 collection, I started talking with Kia. I wanted a partner who could help fill a need in Marfa’s public school system and Kia was looking to create a unique integration for their new Telluride. It was a natural fit as Kia has a long history of philanthropic initiatives that support education. Kia is not just funding necessary technological purchases and educational programming to give the children of Marfa the quality education they deserve, but also providing a vehicle for local teachers’ use. I am honored to collaborate with Kia Motors.”