Kia Is Releasing a Truck; Here Is What We Know So Far

The rumors are true: the Korean auto manufacturer that brought such excellent vehicles as the Telluride and K5 to your local Kia dealer will release a pickup truck. It only makes sense that Kia would throw in its hat on the pickup market. Trucks are one of the most significant segments of automobile purchases each year, and the numbers are rising.

Unfortunately, this new truck is still in an early stage, so there’s not a ton of detail available just yet. Although it might be a while before the new Kia truck hits your favorite Kia dealer, there’s still plenty of reason to get excited.

Rumors On the Kia Truck’s Design

Most pickup trucks use a body-on-frame design, although new models from Honda and Hyundai are sticking with the same unibody platform that comes with crossovers and sedans. Since Kia doesn’t currently have any vehicles that use the body-on-frame architecture, it’s likely that the new truck will stick to a unibody build.

Most rumors suggest that this Kia truck is going to share a lot of design elements with the popular Telluride. We do know that it’s at least going to be a midsize truck that should rival vehicles like the Ridgeline, Tacoma, and Colorado.

Under the Hood

Most midsize pickups on the road come with at least a V6 engine, but it’s hard to say which direction Kia will go. The Kia dealer favorite Telluride comes with a 3.8-liter V6 (292 hp) that is a good candidate for the base-level engine.

There is some talk that the new Kia truck will feature something smaller, like a 2.5-liter four-cylinder. A smaller turbocharged engine isn’t out of the question, either. At the moment, there is no discussion if any kind of hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full EV version of this truck will be available.

Perfection Inside and Out

If Kia goes with a unibody design, there will only be an option for one cabin size. You should expect two comfortable rows of seating. Otherwise, it’s hard to speculate about how Kia will design and adorn the interior. Most signs point to this truck taking notes from the Telluride’s playbook.

You can definitely expect a solid touchscreen infotainment system with features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If Kia wants to be competitive with this pickup truck, it will have to throw in some common options like a Wi-Fi hotspot, in-dash navigation, and leather seating. We’ll just have to wait and see.

When Can You Get One at Your Kia Dealer?

The new Kia pickup truck isn’t expected to start taking orders for another year or two. It will most likely have a starting price of around $30,000, but it’s really hard to say until it’s ready.

If you’re interested in being one of the first to take this beast home. Check in with your local Kia dealer to learn about reserving one for when it’s ready.