Why some riders still get car sick in a Kia Telluride, and what helps
Kia's family three-row Telluride sits on the recommended side of the car-sickness conversation: owners describe the ride as smooth, quiet and composed on long trips, and it is one of the three-row SUVs that carsick-prone families most often land on. When someone does feel queasy in one, the reason is almost always the row: like every three-row SUV, the rearmost bench sits at or behind the rear axle, where bounce and sway are felt most.
A family favorite where the row you pick does the work
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Why it happens in a Kia
The Telluride earns its reputation honestly. Owners commonly describe it as smooth, quiet and extremely comfortable on long trips, and one parent writing for A Girl's Guide to Cars reported far fewer bouts of car sickness in the Telluride than in their previous SUV, partly crediting the dual sunroof for making the cabin feel brighter and less boxed-in. The physics it cannot escape are the ones every tall three-row SUV shares: a higher center of gravity than a sedan means more felt roll in corners, and the third row sits at or behind the rear axle, where riders feel the most pitch and bounce and get the weakest forward view of the road. So the practical Kia advice is about seating, not avoidance. The Telluride also shares its platform with the Hyundai Palisade, and the two are usually named together as comfortable family picks.
A ride owners genuinely praise
Smooth, quiet and composed on long trips is the consistent owner description, which is why the Telluride appears on recommended-for-carsick-families lists rather than the warnings.
The third row, like every third row
The rearmost bench sits at or behind the rear axle, so it feels the most vertical bounce and side-to-side sway and has the weakest view of the road ahead.
Tall-body roll
A three-row SUV carries its passengers higher than a sedan, so corners produce more felt roll, which back-row riders notice most.
Light and sightlines on its side
A roomy, airy cabin, tall seating and generally good outward visibility help passengers keep their eyes on the road, and the available dual sunroof brightens the back rows.
A mechanical twin
The Telluride shares its platform with the Hyundai Palisade, and the two are recommended in the same family-SUV breath, so neither is clearly better for motion sickness.
One car makes you sick and another does not? Why certain cars make you car sick covers the three causes, whatever the brand.
What actually helps in a Kia
1. Second row, not third
Seat the most sensitive passenger in the second row; on trims with a second-row bench, the center position gives the clearest forward view.
2. Eyes up, not on the seatback screens
Keep the sensitive rider looking at the road and the moving horizon rather than at phones, books or rear-seat entertainment.
3. Use the light
Raise the sunroof shade or crack a window: fresh air and a brighter cabin are part of why owners rate this SUV for queasy kids.
4. Ask for gentler inputs on winding roads
Gradual braking and acceleration make speed changes feel smoother in the back rows, where they are amplified.
5. Compare rows before you blame the car
If someone feels sick in the third row and fine in the second, the vehicle is doing its job; the seat map was the problem.
6. In an EV6 or EV9, step regen down
Pull the right steering-wheel paddle to lower regenerative braking one level at a time, down to level 0, so the car slows less when the driver lifts off. In an EV9, level 0 returns to level 1 after a restart, so check it at the start of each drive.
Comparing apps for the drive? The car sickness app guide sets sound therapy against on-screen motion cues, free options included.
Going on a drive in the Kia? Set it up first
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Kia model by model
The Telluride is the Kia researched in most depth here: its motion story is row choice, with the second row comfortable and the third carrying the usual behind-the-axle caveat. The EV6 and EV9 are electric, and their lever is regen: the right steering-wheel paddle steps it down to level 0.
| Model | Type | Powertrain | Reader-reported risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Telluride | 3-Row SUV | ICE | low |
| Kia EV6 | Crossover | EV | moderate |
| Kia EV9 | 3-Row SUV | EV | moderate |
Risk levels summarise what owners and passengers commonly report, not measured testing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Kia Telluride good for kids who get carsick?
It is one of the three-row SUVs families most often recommend for motion-sensitive riders, thanks to a ride owners describe as smooth and quiet and to good outward visibility. The thing within your control is seating: keep a carsick child in the second row rather than the third, ideally in a center seat with a clear view forward.
Why does the third row of a Telluride still cause car sickness?
Because of where it sits, not how it is built. In any three-row SUV the rearmost bench is at or behind the rear axle, so it feels the most up-and-down bounce and side-to-side sway and has the weakest view of the road ahead. That combination can bother a sensitive rider even in an otherwise composed vehicle.
Telluride or Hyundai Palisade for a motion-sensitive family?
They share the same platform and are frequently recommended together as comfortable family SUVs, so neither is clearly better for motion sickness. With both, the useful step is the same: second row over third for the sensitive rider, eyes on the horizon, fresh air moving.
Related
Sources & further reading
Your next question, probably
Which model do you actually ride in?
Every model we cover, each with its own seat and setup notes
If that is not your question:
Based on publicly reported owner and passenger experiences and each vehicle's documented design, as of July 2026. Regenerative braking and the other characteristics described here are deliberate engineering choices, not faults: this page is about how they feel to motion-sensitive passengers, and sensitivity varies from person to person. Vehicle and brand names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Specifications and software features change; check the manufacturer's current documentation. Informational only, not medical advice.