Kia's Damien
Meredith officially confirmed this past week that “work has begun” on a pickup
that will be designed to compete directly with mid-size options from Ford and
Toyota. The Chief Operating Officer for Australia also claimed that this pickup
is scheduled to arrive Down Under within 3 or four years. It is not expected to
be a “Lifestyle vehicle” like the Hyundai Santa Cruz or Honda Ridgeline, and
Meredith also claimed that “What we've requested is the full gambit”.
Even though the
report was confirmed for Australia, anything's possible, and all of us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis
are excited about the potential for a truck to join the ranks of our product
line. When the Hyundai Santa Cruz was announced, the industry stopped firmly in
its tracks and paid attention. The pickup truck market is one that is
widely-known for buyers who are among the most loyal, and we already know that
the brand we love to represent every day so much is heralded for successfully
challenging the status quo. Drivers who have a preference for the smooth ride
of a unibody vehicle and practical utility of a truck would be excited about an
option offered up by Kia for the truck segment.
The engine type
in the 2020 Kia Telluride is a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter V6, and it likely
a hint that Kia plans to use it for ambitions within the truck realm. Instead
of letting the turbocharged 4-cylinder do the job or even the 3.3-liter V6 that
is in the Sorento, this choice of bigger engine yields much higher torque
flares. It would be wise to have an engine that will have a focus on towing,
boosting the Telluride greatly in terms of being an ideal platform to
incorporate for building out a truck.
Earlier this year
on the Friendly Kia official blog, you can see some mock-ups of the past that could look a bit like what this
newly announced model could look like. Rugged styling and distinctively
off-road vibes could be two main features that would help this new model not
fall into the ranks of a “typical” family crossover without character. It may
not have to be as hardcore as it gets as far as off-road ability, but it would
be appreciated if it could climb rutted roads better than the soccer mom's
usual choice of vehicle. If a midsize variant with unique styling backed by our
industry-leading warranty can come the way of the States within the next few
years, we guarantee a home-run hit: we'll keep you posted here on the blog
about any developments and final ETA!
