Kia is working on a pickup truck with a body-on-frame design that might one day be sold in the United States. Several Australian car magazines, including Which Vehicle, say that the mid-size pickup will go on sale in 2025. The Korean automaker has already said that two new trucks will come to the U.S. in that time. Sources say that the car was first discussed at a Kia dealer gathering, but no concept art or models were shown to the people there. It has nothing to do with the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the only truck from Hyundai/Kia and based on the unibody Tucson. From what we know, it could be one of the two electric trucks Kia has promised to sell in the U.S. in the next five years. The current Kia Niro comes with a hybrid drivetrain, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and a fully electric drivetrain. A car with a ladder frame, like the one Kia just announced, is flexible enough to work with different drivetrains. Any trucks Kia sells in the United States will not be able to compete in the full-size market. Since the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and Chevy Silverado 1500 are almost difficult to stop, the Toyota Tundra can’t compete. The Korean brand’s vehicles will compete with mid-size trucks like the Chevy Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford Ranger and compact cars like the newly updated Ford Maverick.
