We already wrote about the concept and the possible expansion of Kia’s lineup to new markets. But, the 2022 Kia Pickup Truck finally got the confirmation. The concept is not coming out any time soon and we still don’t know how it will be called. But, the good thing is that we have official stuff.
It is not a surprise since the close partner, Hyundai is coming out with the Santa Cruz in 2021. A year later, we will see the 2022 Kia Pickup Truck. Well, this is not the first time the company is pushing its way into this market. Last time, it was called the Mojave concept and it had a few interesting ideas. For example, suicide doors. Now, the truck should get a more serious approach and production-ready platform.
2022 Kia Pickup Truck Confirmed For Production!
Of course, the Korean company unveiled only a piece of evidence about its new model. It will take the position in the mid-size segment. There, we can find Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado dominating the market. However, new players are Jeep Gladiator and Ford Ranger. Whatsoever, the 2022 Kia Pickup Truck is not going to compete with these vehicles, but rather Honda Ridgeline, since it is going to use a unibody platform, like Hyundai Santa Cruz. Also, chiefs in the company confirmed the production for 2022 or 2023.
That’s all official. But, we can figure out a couple of other details by looking to the rest of the lineup.
Kia Truck Concept
The 2022 Kia truck could use the same architecture as the new Telluride SUV. The carmaker is expanding the lineup and soon buyers will see a full-size SUV as well. All these models will share the platform.
What’s more, another unibody pickup is also scheduled for 2021. That is Hyundai Santa Cruz. Two Korean companies are cooperating on multiple projects. The 2022 Kia Pickup Truck is going to be the next step. But, Hyundai is keeping the pace, since we already have confirmed the production of its pickup, and upcoming full-size and premium SUVs.
2022 Kia Pickup Truck Specs
It is not hard to predict the drivetrain for the 2022 Kia Pickup. The truck is going to borrow the powerplant from the Telluride SUV. A 3.8-liter V6 is strong enough for the pickup segment. It produces 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. The outputs are on par with the class-leading models, such as Tacoma, Colorado, or Ridgeline. An eight-speed automatic transmission transfers energy to front wheels. We will see if the engineers will manage to shift power to rear wheels. AWD is optional. However, it harms fuel economy on other Kia models, so that is the segment where the truck needs to get the most improvements.
2022 Kia Pickup Truck Release Date
The 2022 Kia Truck won’t be out in the next two or more years. The company already made it clear that development started, but it won’t end before 2022, or even 2023. However, we will monitor the news about the pickup. Also, we will see what Santa Cruz is going to bring in 2021 and try to fit it into Kia plans.
When will 2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz Be Available?
Source: MotorTrend