By Despite being one of the major carmakers in the world, the Korean manufacturer still doesn’t have a pickup in its offer. However, this is going to change, as Kia management has officially confirmed that this vehicle is under development. At this point, they didn’t come up with the name or something like that and as it is expected to arrive in 2022, we will call it 2022 Kia Pickup Truck for now.
At this point, a lot of things are a mystery, but it looks like we will rather see a pickup design in a modern manner, with a unibody platform. That is what most sources suggest. Other than that, we know that the new model will compete in the mid-size pickup segment and that the first versions will be offered in Australia.
2022 Kia Pickup Truck Design
As we’ve just mentioned, the first versions of the 2022 Kia Pickup Truck will arrive in Australia. That’s the main reason why the development of this model has been trusted by the Australian department of this company. Simply, the company wants to make it competitive with models like Hilux and Ranger first, and then to offer it in North America.
The Korean manufacturer doesn’t have a body-on-frame architecture in its portfolio, so it’s no wonder that most reports suggest a unibody layout in this case. This would mean the same design approach as with the upcoming Santa Cruz, though this particular model would probably be slightly bigger.
A unibody design would definitely bring benefits in terms of comfort and overall ride quality while towing and hauling would be compromised, just it’s the case with currently only unibody pickup on the U.S. market, Honda Ridgeline. Most likely, the Korean manufacturer would use the same recipe as Honda and build this model on an existing crossover. In this case, that would be the Telluride, the excellent mid-size SUV, which has so many great things to offer. This doesn’t include just mechanics. The new 2022 Kia Pickup Truck would probably feature the same or similar front end, with the recognizable massive grille and squarish headlights. Of course, the rest of the body would come in a typical truck layout and some sources suggest both single and double cab variants in the offer.
Interior
As we’ve just mentioned, the new pickup truck will be able to accommodate up to 5 passengers, depending on the cab style. In any case, we expect that this cabin will look very stylish and designed in a similar manner as the SUV sibling. Still, don’t count on such a high level of luxury, as this model still has to remain affordable and approachable to a wider range of buyers.
Of course, the cabin would come with all kinds of features, including the latest tech goodies. As we are talking about a unibody pickup truck, we believe that chances to see a bare-boned workhorse version are minimal. So, even the cheapest versions should feature a decent list of standard equipment.
2022 Kia Pickup Truck Engine
In terms of powertrain, we don’t expect surprises. Therefore, a familiar 3.8-liter should definitely find its place under the hood of the 2022 Kia Pickup Truck. It delivers 291 horsepower, which is more than enough to provide a convenient ride and decent capabilities. However, we also expect to see something more affordable in the offer, reserved for base models. That could easily be a familiar 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine, though we wouldn’t exclude the possibility of a turbo-four either. In any case, both engines should come coupled with a new 8-speed automatic transmission.
2022 Kia Pickup Truck Release Date and Price
As we already mentioned, the 2022 Kia Pickup Truck will arrive sometime in 2022. First versions should hit the Australian market, while North American variants should arrive soon after. When it comes to the price, most of us see this model as a cheaper alternative to already established pickup trucks, so our rough estimation would be around 25.000 dollars for base models.
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