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Types Of Gas A Kia Telluride Takes (Explained)

Types Of Gas A Kia Telluride Takes (Explained)

Kia Telluride is a mid-size crossover SUV that Kia launched in 2019. It was offered for sale in North America in 2020. Named after the Telluride town of Colorado, it happens to be the largest Kia vehicle currently on sale in North America. It comes in four trims, LX, S, EX, and SX.

Kia suggests using fuels with a minimum octane rating of 87 for the Kia Telluride’s 3.8-liter V6 engine.

Now, it’s time to go into all the details regarding the specific types of fuels that should and shouldn’t be used. We’ll also discuss the fuel mileage of the Telluride as well as the gas tank size and much more. Read on!

Infographic explaining the fuel types for a Kia Telluride.

Fuel Requirements Based On Engine Type

2020 – Present

Kia noticed the buyer’s inclination toward the SUVs, which urged them to develop a competitive product in the mid-size crossover SUV segment. The American-made Kia Telluride, introduced in 2019, was offered for sale in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 catastrophe. Even then, the buyer’s interest was high in the Kia Telluride.

The Kia Telluride has a 3.8-liter V6 engine capable of producing 291 horsepower, which was the only engine offered by Kia to keep things simple. Although its competitors offer more than one engine size, Kia follows the K.I.S.S principle, “Keep it Short and Simple.”

Kia recommends using fuels with a minimum octane rating of 87 for refueling the Kia Telluride, which Kia suggests. We firmly believe that using fuels with higher octane grades can significantly improve the engine’s health and life. Therefore, it is good to use fuels with higher octane grades for the Kia Telluride.

EngineFuel Requirement 
3.8-liter 6-cylinder (365 HP)87-grade octane (minimum)

What Types Of Gasoline Can And Can’t Be Used?

There are various types of fuel offered for sale in today’s fuel market. Some of these have the characteristics of being nature friendly. And then, there are some intended for extracting maximum performance from the engine. We will now take a deeper look at which fuel types suit the Kia Telluride and which don’t.

Reformulated Gasoline

Reformulated gasoline is a fuel that directly targets a vehicle’s emissions and offers cleaner and greener fuel burning. The RFG fuels are in use in many cars today owing to the environment-friendly nature of RFG. Many drivers prefer using RFG over regular gasoline due to this very characteristic.

RFG is known for reducing pollution issues, and it significantly decreases the formation of smog, which future-proofs our environment. The RFG program was also mandated in Congress’s 1990 Clean Air Act amendments.

Kia doesn’t say anything at all about using RFG over regular gasoline. They don’t suggest using RFG, nor do they go against it. From our experience, we have seen that most manufacturers are okay with using RFG, and they are also widely available.  

Gasoline/Oxygenated Blends Or E-85 

For high-performance engines, car owners naturally prefer fuel types that offer better engine performance. E-85 is one such fuel type. It is made by blending ethanol with gasoline in various ratios. It is important to know that your vehicle must be compatible with ethanol-blended fuels, or it is likely to cause engine and performance issues.

You might need to look around your car for markings or indications to determine whether it is E-85 compatible. Usually, cars that are E-85 compatible have a badge stating “Flexfuel.” Another indication could be found on the fuel cap. If it states E-85, then your car is compatible.

Ethanol is blended with regular gasoline in various ratios. The E-85 specifically has a high concentration of ethanol. The “85” in the name E-85 shows a blend of 85% ethanol with 15% regular gasoline. One needs to ensure that the vehicle is E-85 compatible before using it.

A car can cause problems even if it is E-85 compatible. A few mandatory precautions should be taken to decrease the chances of issues that can come up due to using E-85.

  • Refuel with at least 11 liters or more at the time of refueling
  • Keep the vehicle running for at least 7 miles after refueling

Even when the above precautions are taken, there are some symptoms related to E-85 that need to be kept in consideration. These are:

  • Rough idling and hard starting
  • Residue build-up and deposit formation inside the engine

Kia suggests that ethanol blends should not exceed 15% if a car owner wants to use ethanol-blended fuels in the Kia Telluride.

Gasoline With Added Materials

Engineers have found that fuel can act as a medium for cleaning the engine. They have come up with various additives that can be added to the fuel to perform multiple tasks. Some of these additives act as cleansing agents, and some are used as detergents. These can be used for Kia Telluride as well.

Kia suggests using only TOP TIER detergent gasoline for the Kia Telluride. In our observation, a lot of manufacturers trust TOP TIER detergent gasoline. For this reason, we suggest that the car owners stay orthodox to the suggestion for Kia and only use TOP TIER detergent gasoline.

Gasoline With MMT

Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, also known as MMT, is another additive used with gasoline. Early in the days of its introduction, it was sold as a supplement. But later on, MMT was sold as an octane enhancer. Naturally, this also comes with a downside; it can reduce the engine life.

Kia suggests against the use of fuels with MMT for the Kia Telluride. The reasons put forth by Kia are reduced engine performance and decreased performance of the emissions control system installed on the Kia Telluride.  

What If I Hear A Knocking Noise From The Engine After Refilling?

Spark knock, otherwise known as knocking sound, is what almost all drivers are familiar with. Nearly every driver has experienced this weird sound at some point in life. The most usual cause of this knocking sound is the use of fuels with lower octane grades. 

Fixing this is simple. Go with 95-rating gasoline for the Kia Telluride or any vehicle. It would eliminate the spark-knocking issue if the cause were using lower-grade octane fuel. But in case this doesn’t fix the issue, it is about time to take your vehicle for a thorough check-up.

Also read: 14 Common Problems Of The Kia Telluride

Does the Kia Telluride Have Good Gas Mileage?

Kia offers just one engine size for the Kia Telluride in North America. It is a 3.8-liter V6 engine. Naturally, SUVs are not known for fuel efficiency, but it is still mandatory to look at what kind of fuel average can be achieved from the Kia Telluride.

2020 till Present

The current generation of the Kia Telluride is its first. It is offered with a 3.8-liter V6 engine that produces a healthy 291 horsepower. With that said, the vehicle’s weight becomes a pretty significant element in determining its fuel efficiency. We can see from the below chart that the Kia Telluride is by no means a fuel-saver.

On a regular day in city traffic, it can stoop as low as 19 miles per gallon. And on a good day, it can go as high as 26 miles per gallon. Let us also mention that the driver’s driving habits can impact the fuel economy. A lighter foot can yield better fuel economy, while someone who floors the throttle quite a bit would lose on fuel economy by a lot.

EngineLowest Combined MPGHighest Combined MPG
3.8-liter 6-cylinder (291 HP)1926

What’s The Gas Tank Size Of A Kia Telluride?

Range anxiety is a term that has recently popped up related to an electric car’s battery longevity. It can also be said about gasoline cars concerning their fuel tank size. No driver likes spending time at the gas station. One way to combat this is with a larger capacity fuel tank.

We are happy to report that the Kia Telluride comes with 18.75 gallons of fuel tank capacity. Given the fuel average numbers, it can safely take its incumbents more than 250 miles before they need to refuel. Once again, let us say that this number can be increased with a lighter foot on the throttle.

EngineGas Tank
1st Generation18.75 Gal

How Much Does It Cost To Fill Up A Kia Telluride?

Fuel prices have increased a lot over the last few years since the break-out of the Covid-19 virus. And given that SUVs are no fuel-sippers, we need to consider how much refueling will cost for the Kai Telluride.

Given the 18.75 gallons of fuel it can hold, the Kia Telluride will cost you $71.59 at least and $108.83 at most. 

GenerationFuel tank size (Gallons)Cost (Cheapest)Cost (Most Expensive)
1st Generation18.75 Gal$71.59$108.83

Sources

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