[Smithsy09]

Kia Australia's Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith told CarsGuide that work is under way for a Kia and Hyundai dual cab pickup truck. Both trucks are expected to arrive sometime in 2022 or 2023.

If this expands outside of Australia would you consider a Kia pickup?

In good news for both brands, the vehicle in question is not a "lifestyle vehicle", like the Hyundai Santa Cruz (pictured), but a fully fledged ute family that will take the fight to the heavy hitters of the dual-cab space.

"Work has begun," says Meredith. "We're talking about a dual-cab, a single-cab - what we've requested is the full gambit for the ute, and that (includes) a dual-cab with diesel and petrol (options)."

While details are thin on the ground for now, Kia in Australia has talked before about its incoming ute family, insisting the platform would be "brand new".

And Aussie executives are bullish about its chances, confident they can capture a sizeable chunk of the Australian dual-cab market.

"When a light commercial range does arrive in Australia, I'd be confident we'd be looking around that eight to 10 per cent market share in that range," Meredith says. "Great product, great pricing and a seven-year warranty - it's a pretty powerful package."

With Australia's ute market responsible for some 210,000 sales in 2018, that would see Kia secure some 21,000 new customers with the launch of a genuine workhorse family.

In even happier news, the localisation process all Kia and Hyundai vehicles undergo before launching in Australia will apply to the new ute, too, with Meredith confirming a local suspension tuning process would take place ahead of the vehicle's launch.

"That's part of our robust strategy - every car that enters Australia goes through that process," he says.

 

[KDMDriver]

It wouldn't be my first choice. Initially the Tacoma, then Colorado and maybe this.

 

[wilson]

Should we expect this to be the Korean version of a GMC Canyon?

It only makes sense for Hyundai to sell A sportier version IMO

 

[Smithsy09]

Should we expect this to be the Korean version of a GMC Canyon?

It only makes sense for Hyundai to sell A sportier version IMO

It will most likely be in that truck class, but I really hope it's significantly better than the Canyon. If it can rival the Tacoma that would be huge.

 

[Smithsy09]

CarsGuide has some updated information about the upcoming Kia pickup truck. Based on this Kia and Hyundai are definitely not taking this lightly.

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-ne...ld-be-excited-about-koreas-toyota-hilux-rival

There will be petrol and diesel engine choices offered across multiple body styles

If you take the ridiculously successful Toyota HiLux as an example, it is offered in some 32 variants spanning trim levels, engine types, driving wheels and body styles. And it's into this complex web that KIa and Hyundai will be launching.

"Dual-cab, single-can, diesel, petrol - what we've requested is the full gamut of a ute family," Kia's Damien Meredith told us.

For its part, Hyundai is making the same requests, with that brand's COO, Scott Grant, having already told media that "our request has been everything from cab-chassis, single-, double- and extra-cab.

"We have a fairly strong and arduous list of minimum starting positions in terms of towing and other things that you need in Australia, otherwise you are not in the game."

Both the Kia and Hyundai versions will be tested in Australia, and specifically tuned for our unique conditions

One of the most powerful weapons in the Kia and Hyundai arsenal is both brands' significant localisation programs, with all new models tested and tuned for our roads and conditions.

And the good news is that both brands have already confirmed their incoming utes will be no different, with local development work expected to begin as early as 2021.

"That's part of our robust strategy, we get every car that enters Australia to go through that process," Kia's Damien Meredith says. "It normally (begins) eight to 12 months out."

Hyundai, too, is talking up its local testing program.

"As with pretty much all Hyundai vehicles, it will be tested here in Australia. Hot-weather testing happens here, so there's no problem with durability," the brand's Bill Thomas has told media.

Both brands are promising impressive ownership packages

One ace up Kia's sleeve will be that it's new ute will offer among the longest warranty period of any dual-cab ute currently on sale in Australia.

Damien Meredith has already confirmed the brand's workhorse will benefit from the same seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as the rest of the Kia range, telling CarsGuide: "Great product, great pricing and a seven-year warranty - it's a pretty powerful package."

Hyundai, too, says its ute will be on the receiving end of the same five-year warranty as the rest of its range.

"We think we're one of the more reliable brands and with a long warranty we can back that up," Hyundai's Bill Thomas has told media.

 

[JamesC97]

I don't think we're going to be seeing this pickup any time soon in North America. Most cars that are designed for Australia don't make it over here. I wish they did because their Utes are pretty awesome.