Hyundai and KIA are in a bit of a funk. Sales are still good, but the effects of their gas mile overstatement debacle will continue for some time. Perhaps what they need is a diversion. How does a Hyundai/KIA pickup truck sound to you? I mean, they have covered just about everything except for a convertible. A small pick-em-up truck is needed in North America and no one else has the balls to build one.
A Hyundai/KIA pickup truck is not that far fetched. They already built a development mule and a nifty concept model over eight years ago. The concept was called the KIA Mojave and it was a slick little pickup powered by a turbocharger or supercharged 280 horsepower 3.8-liter V6. It had a cool mid-gate feature like the (Chevrolet Avalanche) where the rear bulkhead lowered to increase the bed-size by several inches.
A four-wheel steering system was part of the package too.
The structure of the KIA Mojave was based on the older (truck-like) KIA Sorento. So, that means new underpinnings are needed. Didn’t they just stop production on the beefy KIA Borrego a few years back?
I’m sure there are plenty of people who would love to drive a KIA product that is utilitarian, affordable and economical. Moving over to the small truck market may be possible and desired as most pickup truck builders are moving (or have moved) to larger platforms.
This might be an intriguing idea – or a load of hot air.
Check out Roman and I as we test a Hyundai Santa Fe!
Editor’s note: we have yet to attend a KIA press event. As such, we have no access to any of their top brass for a comment.
