What Do We Know About Kia’s Midsize Truck?
If you’ve been waiting for a new pickup truck to arrive here in the States, the answer might come from an unexpected place. Apparently, Kia has plans to introduce a new truck in Australia, and it could be coming to the United States. So, what all do we know about the Kia truck so far?
Is Kia releasing a pickup truck?
As an automotive brand, Kia is not known for trucks, but that could soon change. Sure, on the global market, Kia offers some quirky pickups, but nothing that really resembles what a normal truck is here in the States.
Some prototypes have been spotted in Australia, and it looks like it could be a Chevy Colorado or Toyota Tacoma competitor. It is being referred to as the Kia Mohave, but if it does come to the United States, its name could be changed.
Of course, it’s hard not to talk about a small truck from a foreign brand without mentioning the Chicken Tax. If Kia wants to sell this truck here, it will probably need to find a way to build it in North America. Or else it will be facing a pretty heavy tariff on the Mojave.
A Kia truck would mean more competition
Trucks are extremely popular in the United States. And personally, I would welcome a pickup truck from the Kia brand. Hyundai has already shown that it can build a solid city truck with the Santa Cruz. But it is simply a unibody pickup and not as capable as some of the bigger stuff out there.
From the looks of it, Kia’s new truck might have a solid rear axle. That would help with things like payload capacity and other truck stuff things that you might want to do. It would also mean that Kia’s truck can compete with the other midsize pickups that are out there.
Will Kia’s truck be electric?
According to Car Scoops, Kia’s new truck should be available with an electric powertrain. Although, you will still be able to find a gasoline engine if you are not fond of EVs. Kia is one of the automotive brands that has committed to electrifying its lineup. And if it does decide to sell a truck in the States, it probably will offer some kind of electrification.
Much like the new Kia EV9, this truck does appear to have a boxy look. Although, specifics haven’t really been released yet. At least for the U.S.-spec version at this time.
In terms of the midsize truck segment, things are pretty competitive. GM just released the new Canyon and Colorado, plus Ford is finally giving an update to the Ranger. Even the 2023 Nissan Frontier seems like a legitimately midsize pickup now that it’s in the third generation.
Kia will have to work pretty hard if it wants to sell a truck in the States. There have been rumors that the brand could partner with Nissan. But who knows if that will happen or not.
