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We might be stuck in a game of cat and mouse as Kia pickup trucks continued to be dangled in front of our innocent eyes. We’ve been following clues for years and recently came across an upsetting thread. The new Kia Mohave truck might not come to America. 

What is the 2024 Kia Mohave truck? 

The Kia Mohave truck might not come to America
2024 Kia Mohave truck rendering | K AG Design

Rumors suggest that the 2024 Kia Mohave truck is one epic ute with plenty of turbodiesel power to change the way we look at this South Korean automotive brand. Hopefully, this time we will see some real progress in moving forward with the project. 

SlashGear noted that the first time we saw a Kia pickup truck concept was in 2004! This reporter was in middle school, being awkward and riding in a 1998 GMC Suburban back then. 

Anyways, Kia mentioned that it plans to roll out two new pickup trucks by 2027, so that’s double the excitement. One will be a traditional truck, and the other will be for emerging markets. 

Spy photos and teasers suggest that the Kia Mohave truck will come out first with internal combustion power and electric powertrains. But it will be available everywhere except for America and Canada. 

Why isn’t the Kia Mohave in America? 

The Kia Mohave truck is based on a forbidden SUV, the Kia Mohave, which isn’t available in America. It’s slightly smaller than the Kia Telluride, and it’s a bit beefier with more off-roading durability thanks to a ladder frame chassis. 

It’s another case of a super cool vehicle that’s held back by the Chicken Tax, which is a 25% tariff placed on light trucks imported to the United States. For it to have an affordable price, in America, then it would need to be manufactured over here. 

However, the Mohave is successful in other countries and can quickly be transformed into a serious rival to fight the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. 

These trucks and the Mohave have stout turbodiesel engines that may not adhere to higher emission standard in America as well. 

Reportedly, the Mohave truck will have a turbocharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 210 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. It could also borrow the 2.5-liter turbo-four diesel engine from the Hyundai Sonata N-Line with 276 hp. 

The electric Kia Mohave truck could have a dual-motor setup that paired with a 123-kWh battery to crank out 550 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. It’s expected to tow up to 7,495 lbs. It could have a range of up to 280 miles. 

What do we know about the Mohave truck? 

Kia Mohave truck
Kia Mohave truck | Kia

The 2024 Kia Mohave truck is expected to be a serious off-roader and looks like it has similarities to the Jeep Gladiator, such as a body-on-frame build for true 4×4 capabilities and massive, chunky tires. 

It could have a confident and rugged look with a boxy shape and large tiger-nose grille that’s framed by verticle LED headlights. The front bumper could have a unique style to increase its approach angle. 

Large windows provide an open and airy cabin, similar to Jeep models. But the interior has an elegant minimalist design with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, and a 360-degree surround-view camera. 

The Mohave truck is a rugged option that could seriously steal attention from the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. We really hope it comes to America, but our Kia truck is expected to be based on the Kia EV9 instead. Stay tuned for the latest Kia news.