STOP THE PRESSES! Kia is set to launch a stunning new pick-up truck that will turn the segment upside down!
Ok, so that isn’t actually true, but given what Kia has done in the past few years, we’ll bet few of you were really surprised by that announcement.
The brand once known for churning out the unexciting vehicles has gone upscale, both in design and quality.
With the overall vehicle sales on the upswing all over the world, Kia and Hyundai have been actively looking at ways they could boost sales, which may very well mean creating new models that fill the gaps that are currently in their lineups.
Hyundai has shown an interest in the small crossover market, as well as dipping into the luxury market with the stunning Genesis sedan.
Kia ,on the other hand, has been looking to go to the sportier side, especially since their GT4 Stinger concept car has had people buzzing since it started doing the auto show rounds.
Kia is remaining tight lipped about the Stinger, but head designer Peter Schreyer has made it known that he would love a sports car in the lineup.
Should Kia build the pickup truck?
Another logical step would be a new pick-up truck model, which is actually something that Kia has already dabbled with.
It wasn’t s very long ago that the Koreans looked to jump into the truck market with a great looking medium sized pickup called the Mojave.
The vehicle was created as a concept, built on the Sorento SUV platform and boasting a 280 hp V6 engine and an all-wheel drive system.
Everyone was primed for the Mojave to hit showrooms amid much fanfare, but the bottom fell out of the market as gas prices started to soar.
That left the Mojave out in the desert of abandoned new car projects, but it appears as though the sand might be getting ready to be dusted off.
What we are basically dealing with at the moment is a ton of speculation about what Kia might do in the future, but we have our money on a pick-up making it to production in the not too distant future.
Keep in mind that near future in the auto industry tends to be measured in years, as any new car would have to be put through a barrage of testing.
We will have cameras rolling and flashbulbs popping out on the streets as we look for any opportunity to snag a spy shot of a Kia pick-up truck being put through its paces.
Until then, why not take a look at this cool, recently leaked designer drawing that might just give a little insight into what to expect from a Kia pick-up.
This is spetacular! Is it really leaked? We can clearly see influences from Stinger’s front. It could be Kia’s next version of Tiger Nose (3.0?)
Hey jtz, you comments, please!
absoutely horrible idea. dont even think about building or even desining one. focus on what you can’t sell – sportage, forte, etc. i cna’t belive this is even up for a discussion
Not really. I’ll tell you why. Bigger Kias seem to sell better in the states than smaller Kias. Once upon a time Spectra and Sportage were top sellers. But as Kia gotten better, it seems people are more interested in their more expensive vehicles compared to 12 years ago. Once the next generation Sedona arrives, I believe it could sell over 6K a month. Also whatever that CUV on spy shots is, I expect it to sell better than the Sportage and Forte as well. The Forte is one of the best C segment cars in it’s class and yet isn’t outselling the Optima. People want bigger more luxury quality Kias…and that is what Kia is bringing out. That’s what America is about big cars. I mean look at Mazda, their smaller cars like CX-5 and Mazda 3 are selling better than Mazda 6 and CX-9. Mazda bringing back a pick up would be more of a dumb idea. This is why I am confident the Kia GT sedan well sell just fine.
If Kia gives the pick up truck quality, performance and style it’ll sell well.
A Kia pickup truck is the best idea. Kia cars are high quality so the truck will be the same. Do not follow the example of Ford GM or Dodge. Build a sensible truck that we need not huge and expensive. I suggest go with history in the style,and size. about the style of trucks 1950 to 1966. In the northeast four wheel drive is a necessity in the winter. Some effort to reduce rusting would be necessary. A rear engine rear drive truck like the chevy convair pickup of 1960 would be an inexpensive vehicle useful in the winter snow in the northern New England states. Do it The big three have abandoned their customer’s needs to maximize their profits.
design details: a large windshield and side windows so we can see the scenery. Eye level should be in the middle of the windshield so the sky can be seen as well as the fields . My truck will be used for back rode touring. Plenty of head room. Comfortable bench seat , good support. Forget the console. Safety features are important. Towing is important; four or five thousand pounds. Color the green of a 1950 truck. Maybe big fenders.
Whatever happened to the Soulster? supposedly to make the 2014 market. Is that design OUT????? It was a soul with a Subaru Baja look.
Please build this truck—I been waiting for a small truck for some time now–so get busy..