The 2022 Kia Truck Could Dethrone the Honda Ridgeline
Well, would you look at that? A 2022 Kia truck has just been confirmed. The Korean manufacturer has already started working on the new Kia pickup truck. This is might be the most significant thing since the Telluride!
The 2022 Kia truck is coming
According to Pickup Truck News, the 2022 Kia truck is officially happening. Kia has started working on a brand-new pickup truck, according to one of their spokesmen. However, details are still being kept under wraps.
We don’t have much to go on aside from rumors and speculation. The truck’s design is currently a mystery. Some suggest that it will be a Kia Telluride truck, while others think that the Kia Mohave could come to the United States.
What to expect with the new Kia pickup truck
It’s safe to expect that the 2022 Kia truck will ride on a unibody platform, like the Honda Ridgeline. Pickup Truck News noted that Kia doesn’t have a body-on-frame platform to use. Also, the Hyundai Santa Cruz has a unibody design.
But the Santa Cruz is a compact option. The Telluride truck could be midsized, like the SUV. It could look like a larger Santa Cruz with a front end incorporating the Telluride’s grille and a rear end with the Telluride’s taillights.
The new truck could also include modern tech, such as a massive touchscreen infotainment system and head-up display. The unibody frame would provide an incredibly smooth ride and a quiet interior, too. It just makes sense for the Honda Ridgeline to be its largest rival.
How much power will the Kia pickup have?
The 2022 Kia Mohave or Telluride truck could have the 3.8-liter engine that’s currently found in the Telluride SUV. It provides 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, the Kia Telluride can tow up to 5,000 lbs.
Coincidentally, the Honda Ridgeline can also tow up to 5,000 lbs. It has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that pumps out 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. We would like to see the 2022 Kia Truck gain a little more muscle, though, and there hasn’t been any mention of an electric powertrain.
The Kia Mohave SUV is similar to the Kia Telluride, but it’s a bit more rugged with more off-roading capabilities. It has more off-roading chops thanks to its 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine that serves up 256 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque.
It can be configured with five to seven seats, so hypothetically you could turn the third-row seats into part of the truck bed. Both the Telluride and Mohave can be equipped with all-wheel drive. AWD is a standard feature with the Ridgeline, so hopefully, it will be standard in the new truck.
There hasn’t been any information released about pricing yet. The Hyundai Santa Cruz is expected to begin somewhere between $24,000 to $30,000. If the Telluride or Mohave truck is larger, then it could have a higher starting price. The Honda Ridgeline starts at about $36,490.
That starting price seems high at first glance, but a lot of value is included with the base model. We can’t wait to learn more about this new Kia vehicle, but unfortunately, we have to wait. We should have more information by the end of summer.
