Kia might use Telluride’s platform for its pickup truck. Well, it was not hard to guess, since the SUV is using the largest concept in the family. But, the surprise is that the nameplate could be carried over. The 2022 Kia Telluride truck is the new title that emerged after Mohave. Previously, the company had a concept in 2005 called Mojave.
Opinions are divided on this matter. Definitely, the company is growing and expanding its lineups. Telluride is the latest model and one of the most brilliant designs. Now, it is the turn for a premium SUV and pickup truck. At least its close partner, Hyundai is doing the same job. They already added a Palisade seven-seater, luxury Genesis SUV, and it is only a matter of time when will Santa Cruz pickup hit the market.
2022 Kia Telluride Truck Specs
There is no single doubt that the 2022 Kia Telluride truck is going to use the same drivetrain as its SUV sibling. Especially since it is a new one. A 3.8-liter V6 is slightly larger than most rivals are using (3.5-l by Toyota and Honda, 3.6-l by GM and FCA, turbo-four by Ford). Nissan recently updated the powerplant for Frontier, which now uses a 3.8-l displacement as well.
Let’s go back to Kia’s pickup truck. A V6 is good for 291 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. This is something we expect from a pickup. The unibody platform will not be able to compete with the best towing machines in the segment. Still, the architecture will be ready to handle at least 5,000 pounds, or even 6,000 lbs, depending on the tuning. An eight-speed automatic transmission is a power router and the truck might get an RWD as the primary option. Of course, AWD is optional. Telluride SUV comes with front-wheel drive.
2022 Kia Telluride Truck Release Date
Kia didn’t present the concept for the new model. The company was almost ready to launch the pickup in 2004 and 2005, but they gave up on the production. Well, it might be now called as the wise move, since the market nearly died a few years ago when the economic crisis started.
The 2022 Kia Telluride truck will be out after Hyundai launches Santa Cruz. Well, another Korean company is not in the rush, but the market for mid-size pickup is recovering. So, it will be the right moment to enter the dealerships as soon as possible. Jeep re-launched the truck, and Ford brought back Ranger.
The price will depend on many options, but it won’t be under $25,000. Kia could use a trick with a smaller engine as the entry-level model. Nevertheless, truckers are not keen on such vehicles, at least looking at the experience of other models. Fuel economy is not a reason good enough to make it up for the lack of towing capacity. High-end versions will use AWD and premium equipment, and the price might reach $40,000.