A Kia Niro owner I was chatting with told me that Kia hired one of the lead designers from Audi, which explains why the Niro looks a lot like an A4 wagon, and could explain the Telluride interior.
@Harvey - we have a Kia Rio, which has the same engine as the Hyundai Elantra and a few others in that family. The car is pretty basic but the engine is super reliable and peppy. For a small car, it bombs along well at highway speeds. Overall, the car is very economical to own. Just bought a used Mazda 3 Sport hatchback, which will likely be more fun to drive.