Kia has officially announced its plans to release a new truck. Because the name is not yet known, we will call it the 2025 Kia truck. Specifically designed for the American market, it directly challenges one of the most popular mid-sized trucks in the country. This move will put Kia in direct competition with the well-established Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger trucks. While the upcoming truck will likely have different names for various regions, the specific name for the American market is currently unknown.
The 2025 Kia Truck will draw inspiration from the technical features found in the Kia Mojave; however, it will be built on a completely new chassis. This truck will adopt a body-on-frame style, which is typically associated with traditional trucks. This decision to develop a new chassis indicates Kia’s serious commitment to establishing a presence in the US market, despite the high costs involved. In terms of powertrain options, Kia has confirmed that the truck will be available with both diesel and gasoline engines.
2025 Kia Truck Rivals
The 2025 Kia Truck will face fierce competition in the US truck market. As we already mentioned, the competition will include a Toyota Hilux and a Ford Ranger. Kia’s upcoming truck specifications should be the same as those of its rival. Everything from engine power to towing capacity Both the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux will offer multiple powertrain options. They will range from 2.8L to 210 horsepower for the Toyota Hilux. Up to 280 horsepower for the GR Sport Variant. And the Ford Ranger’s starting powertrain will be 160 horsepower. Up to 290 horsepower for the most potent variant. All of these trucks will offer up to 7700 pounds of towing capability and up to 1800 pounds of payload capability. Also, all will offer an automatic transmission with all-wheel drive as an option. We should also expect good off-road capabilities across the board.
2025 Kia Truck Interior and Exterior
The 2025 Kia Truck will feature a modern and comfortable interior with plenty of technology and safety features. Most likely, they will borrow a lot of design features from Mojave. We will start from the center dashboard. It will include two touchscreens. One that is 12.4 inches in diagonal and that is made for an information entertainment system. Another one will be a driver’s gauge, and it will be 8 inches diagonal. The Center console will also have an option for wired and wireless charging. The cabin of the Kia Truck will be able to provide a comfortable ride for up to five passengers. Thanks to dual-zone climate control, comfortable seats with good lumbar support. And a seat heating option that will come in better-equipped trim packages.
For the exterior, Kia trucks will be offered in 2-bed variants. In 5.5-foot bed variant and 6.5-foot bed variant. Also, it will be offered in crew cab and standard cab configurations. For the exterior features. It will come standard on 20-inch wheels, with an option for 22-inch wheels in better-equipped trims. For design, it will feature a unique mix of modern design with sharp lines.
That design language will continue on the front fascia and headlights. Also, the whole body line of the truck will get a sporty note.
2025 Kia Truck Specifications
They also claim that the upcoming 2025 Kia Truck will have at least three different powertrain options available. The first option is a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine with approximately 210 hp and 310 ft-lbs of torque. The second option is a 2.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine, which is also used in Hyundai’s Sonata N-Line and produces 276 hp. Both Variations will be paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Kia promises 7700 pounds of towing capacity in both engine variations.
The most exciting news, however, is the fully electric version. This electric variant will not compromise on towing capacity, with a competitive 7495 pounds. In terms of performance, it features a dual-motor setup, delivering an impressive 570 hp and 570 ft-lbs of torque. The vehicle is equipped with a 125 kWh battery pack, offering a range of up to 300 miles, and supports DC fast charging at up to 250 kW thanks to its 800-volt architecture.
Price and Release Date
The starting price and Release date of the 2025 Kia Truck are yet unknown. But we can guess that Kia trucks will start hitting dealerships in Q2 of 2024 or later. For the starting price, we expect this SUV to be the cheapest midsize truck in the US. And the starting price should start at around $45,000. Sport variants and best-equipped tiers will be around $55.000, and top premium trim levels will probably be $62.000 at max.
We expect the 2025 Kia Truck to archive good sales results in America thanks to its good choice of powertrain, good styling on the exterior, and reliable engines. The biggest positive we expect is probably the good pricing policy of KIA.