Kia’s New Pickup Truck Still Under Negotiations

The global automotive market may have slowed down for the entire 2020, considering the hiatus of several car manufacturers earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but if there is one brand that shows no signs of slowing down, it is probably Kia.

The company is hard at work bolstering its lineup, especially since the debut of the Telluride. The model is now a well-loved product from the brand and will be followed by the new Sedona for the 2022 model year.

The release of these two models is a huge deal for the Korean brand, which is trying to make a significant mark in the highly competitive American market. But while Kia’s target market is starting to become fond of its SUVs and sedan models, there is another segment that the company is trying to venture into.

According to reports, the automaker is working to release its first-ever pickup truck, which will compete with the crowd-favorite Ford Ranger and other models in the segment. This was further strengthened by a comment from Kia Motors Australia COO Damien Meredith in 2019 when he said, “We’re talking about a pick-up, dual-cab, single cab.” He also said that the pickup could be ready by 2022 to 2023.

Kia, however, has kept mum on the latest development at the company headquarters even to this day.

At the recent launch of the new Kia Sorento, the product planning chief for Kia Australia, Roland Rivero, also wouldn’t talk about the pickup truck that his COO hinted at.

“It is something we’re negotiating with KMC (Kia Motors Corporation), but until such time as we’re allowed to comment on a global project like a ute,  we won’t, And at this stage, we’re not,” he said.

The ute that Rivero referred to was the rumored pickup truck from the brand. It is believed to be built on a rough and ready ladder-frame chassis and expected to have a one-ton payload as well as 7,700 lbs towing capacity.

More details are likely going to be released when Kia decides to confirm the arrival of the new model.