After a lot of speculations, it might be happening, after all, the new 2024 Kia Pickup Truck is here. Kia is not the name usually associated with pickup trucks. As a matter of fact, the Korean manufacturer hadn’t made any pickups so far. But all that is about to change. We are probably going to receive a small pickup according to rumors. This perhaps is due to less competition in that segment. Most of the pickups on the market are in the mid-size segment. Some of them are heavy-duty and full-size pickups. And only a few pickups are in a small category. So the main competition would be Ford’s Maverick. So in order to come out on top, Kia has to pull a lot of stops and do it well. Maverick pickup is a huge refreshment in the world of similar huge trucks.
We are in the belief that the new Kia Pickup will pull inspiration from already existing vehicles. It remains to be seen if those vehicles are under the Kia flag or some other. It would also make sense to implement a completely new platform so it can accommodate an electric powertrain. Everybody is steering in that direction so why not build it well from the get-go. Let’s take a look at all the details we have.
2024 Kia Pickup Truck Interior
On the inside, the 2024 Kia Pickup Truck will have a stylish interior. We believe that it will borrow the interior from the already existing interior, it might be Sportage. This is good news, as one of the biggest pros of the Sportage is exactly its interior. We can expect updated seating, with new leather materials and contrast stitching. The central infotainment system of no less than 12 inches in size. The dashboard will most likely also be fully digital with a heads-up display. Most of the controls will be on the steering wheel to keep the driver’s attention on the front. This improves the safety aspect and there are other types of technology that help with that. This includes lane change alerts, front collision alerts, and many cameras that make parking seem like a breeze.
Exterior
On the outside, the 2024 Kia Pickup Truck will look similar to the Sportage. The body design will be ergonomic and aerodynamic. This will help with balance and fuel economy. There should be a standard cargo bed, no extended one since this is a small pickup. Wheel rims will most likely be 18 inches and made from lightweight aluminum. This shaves off some weight to improve power to weight ratio, which is always good on a pickup. The front fascia will also be proxied from other vehicles, but if it is electric there won’t be a front mesh.
2024 Kia Pickup Truck Specs
The powertrain options are still a huge mystery for the 2024 Kia Pickup Truck. Due to many rumors about it being a small pickup, that means we can exclude big engines. There are several smaller economic engines that fit well into this equation. Also we should take into consideration that 2 electric pickups were announced by Kia in the next few years. So it makes sense that the 2024 Kia Pickup Truck is an electric one from the start. There are mostly rumors that confirm this, but they are from reliable sources. Some of those sources report that the Telluride engine is the one to be used. This is a 3.8 liter V6 with 290 horsepower and eight-speed automatic transmission. This might be overkill for a smaller-size pickup.
So, we also have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. They could borrow the one from Sportage and use a 2.4-liter four-cylinder 180 horsepower powertrain. We have an SX Turbo trim which utilizes a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 240 horsepower. This should fit the bill quite well. These engines all use six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. But let’s humor the idea of the new pickup going green right away. The new architecture should be used to be able to accommodate the electric powertrain.
Electric Truck
Obviously, everything should be placed under the cabin to give better balance and handling. We will probably see a battery pack of at least 150 kWh. This should be more than enough to outmatch the traditional engine power. Also, the range with this battery should be above 400 miles on a single charge considering the size of the pickup. Fast charging is a given, which allows drivers to charge 100 miles in just 10 minutes. The 400 miles is a speculation and a dream. But anything below 300 miles is not acceptable in this age and with the available technology. Dual electric motors should be the way to go.
This makes for the best power distribution, with one motor for each axle. Although some pickups like Cybertruck use 3 motors, and Rivian T1 uses 4. This might be an overkill for a Kia Pickup. We will have to keep an ear out for more info as it becomes available. But the Kia Pickup has a bright future in front of it and not a lot of competition in that category.
2024 Kia Pickup Truck Fuel Economy
The 2024 Kia Pickup Truck has no official fuel economy numbers. The vehicle is still in the planning phase and no official tests have been conducted. We will have to wait a while for the numbers to become public. But we can deduce that the numbers will be very attractive, probably above 40 mpg.
Price and Release Date
The new 2024 Kia Pickup Truck will be out later in 2023, probably during the fall of that year. Starting price is not known, but estimates put the number at around $20,000 to $25,000. The main competitor is the Ford Maverick and eventually Honda Ridgeline.