A pickup truck from the Korean manufacturer has been in talks for a very long time. However, things sound more likely than ever these days. We can find a lot of reports that suggest the arrival of such a model, while the launch of Hyundai Santa Cruz is another reason to believe that this could actually happen. At this point, we still don’t know the possible name for this model. So, for now, we will call it the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck.
At this point, not many details are known about the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck but most reports suggest it could be a corporal twin of Hyundai’s new pickup. This makes perfect sense, though we can also find reports that suggest that Kia could go for something bigger, for a mid-size pickup, which wouldn’t compete with the compact Ford Maverick, but rather with the mid-size Honda Ridgeline.
The officials are still quiet, so make sure to take the following paragraphs with a big reserve.
2023 Kia Pickup Truck Design
As we’ve just mentioned, there are two possibilities for the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck. The first one is to see a compact pickup, designed in the same fashion as the new Santa Cruz. This means it would share the same wheelbase and mechanics as Hyundai’s pickup, though aesthetics would be completely different. This is a well-known practice we’ve been seeing from the Korean manufacturers for a long time and so far, it’s been working pretty well.
The mechanical aspect would be shared with Santa Cruz but what about aesthetics? Things are pretty clear here as well. The new 2023 Kia Pickup Truck would borrow the front end from the new Sportage, which has just been completely redesigned. The rest of the vehicle would come in a typical pickup manner and just like the Santa Cruz, this model would come in a crew cab layout with a 4-foot bed.
How About Mid-Size Pickup
There is no doubt that the first scenario sounds much more likely. However, we shouldn’t neglect rumors that suggest a bigger vehicle. According to them, the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck would actually be a mid-size pickup truck. This means it would be based on the Telluride, we presume. The two models would share mechanics, as well as most of the aesthetics. There is no doubt that this pickup would be way more upscale, especially when it comes to the ride quality and performance.
Once again, we would see a crew cab layout as the only configuration on the offer.
Interior
The interior design will depend on the model’s size for sure but as we already mentioned, a crew cab layout is the only one we expect to see, no matter the rest of the design. So, you may expect to see two rows of seats, with enough space to accommodate five passengers. If the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck is about to be a compact pickup, we have no doubt it will feature a 4-foot bed. On the other hand, the mid-size pickup would probably feature a slightly longer bed.
In the first case, the dashboard would look pretty much the same as in the new Sportage, which is a great thing. The new compact crossover comes with significant upgrades regarding dashboard styling, materials and overall build quality, not to mention all those tech features. On the other hand, the Telluride-based model would feature more space and also come with even finer materials and better build quality, along with better sound insulation and a higher level of comfort. Once again, we would see lots of tech features on the offer.
2023 Kia Pickup Truck Engines
We will start with the mid-size scenario this time. In that case, things would be pretty simple, as the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck would be offered with just one engine. That would be a 3.8-liter V6, with a max output of 291 horsepower. This engine comes in pair with 8-speed automatic transmission.
On the other hand, the Sportage-based pickup would be offered with different powertrain options. Base models would probably come with a 2.5-liter inline-four that puts out around 190 horsepower. We wouldn’t exclude the possibility to see a turbo-four version with 280 horsepower either. Furthermore, this pickup would probably be offered in hybrid variants too. Two of them would be offered – a classic hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Both would be based on a 1.6-liter turbo-four, with a max output of 221 and 260 horsepower, respectively.
2023 Kia Pickup Truck Release Date and Price
At this point, the 2023 Kia Pickup Truck is just a rumor, but these rumors suggest that the new pickup could come already by the end of this year. Of course, the price would largely depend on the model’s size, as well as the competition.