When Are We Finally Getting a Kia Pickup Truck?
With the success of the brand’s most rugged model, the Kia Telluride, some of us are wondering what’s next. We already know that Kia can package a large unibody vehicle and sell it like hotcakes. So when are we finally getting a Kia pickup truck?
While there’s no Kia pickup truck yet, it’s not exactly crazy to think we might get one in the future. Especially with the swelling popularity of the compact pickup truck here in the U.S. The Honda Ridgeline, our only unibody pickup, stands atop many lists with the highest ratings.
The Kia pickup truck is coming for the Honda ridgeline
Just as the Kia Telluride threatens the Honda Pilot, we’d expect Kia’s unibody pickup truck to compete against Honda’s Ridgeline. The Kia pickup truck has been rumored for a while now. Many have talked about the Kia Telluride being transformed into a pickup truck.
Additionally, there’s been talk of whether or not the U.S. would even see such a truck––if it’s ever actually in production. Will it be available in the U.S? The Australian market is said to get the Kia pickup truck sometime in 2022 or 2023. That said, however, nothing is confirmed.
What about the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck?
Most musings about the upcoming Kia pickup truck say it will be larger than the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck. The Hyundai ute might be perfect for some drivers. But others may want something larger, more rugged.
Enter the possibility of a Kia pickup truck. It will likely ride on the same platform as the Kia Telluride, Sedona, and Sorento. However, it will certainly disrupt the current compact pickup truck market in the U.S.
That is if we end up lucky enough to see this mythical Kia Telluride pickup truck on U.S. soil. Honestly, after how well the Telluride SUV has sold, Kia could probably keep the same platform, design, and badging. Enter the Kia Telluride pickup truck. The possibility is more probable considering the Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck is supposed to be smaller than the hypothetical Kia truck.
A new ute unicorn for the compact pickup market
While Kia hasn’t exactly confirmed the coming of a ute, there have been hints. According to CarBuzz, however, Kia recently chose to withhold comment about the possibility of a pickup. So does that mean it’s not happening? Or is the brand merely building suspense?
Either way, it’s fun to fantasize. Especially for those of us that have an appreciation for the compact pickup truck segment. Trucks like the Honda Ridgeline or Toyota Tacoma continue gaining a loyal following. It’s only reasonable to assume that a Kia pickup truck based on the Telluride would do well.
When is the Kia Telluride pickup truck coming? We really don’t know Is it coming at all? Will it travel to the North American market? Again, your guess is probably as good as ours. Still, it’s fun to imagine what a Kia pickup truck would be like. Even more so to muse whether or not it will find itself on U.S. soil.
