KIA / Hyundai with Pickups in 2021?

Kia sets sights on HiLux with ute due in 2021 | GoAuto

Back to Mojave: Kia first floated the idea of a ute in 2004 with the KCV4 Mojave concept that debuted at the Chicago motor show.
A UTE will join the Kia line-up in 2021 to help propel the brand toward 100,000 annual sales in Australia after passenger car volume peaks around 80,000 units at the dawn of next decade.

Speaking at a media event in Brisbane this week, Kia Motors Australia (KMAu) chief operating officer Damien Meredith promised the ute would deliver “Kia quality with Australian setup”.

Although details remain scarce while KMAu awaits final confirmation of the ute program, Mr Meredith suggested the vehicle would go toe-to-toe with the likes of the top-selling Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger that are most popular in dual-cab 4x4 guise.

“From what we know thus far it’s going to be pretty suitable for the Australian market. It’ll probably be a dual-cab, I would suggest,” he said.

“We’re waiting for confirmation. What they’re telling us is it’ll be here in 2021.”

In recent months, Kia’s sister brand Hyundai has edged closer to – but stopped short of – officially confirming of a rugged one-tonne ute separate to the small Tucson-based, lifestyle-oriented Santa Cruz that will be squarely aimed at the North American market.

Mr Meredith confirmed development of the Kia version was “definitely in-house”.

This suggests it will be mechanically related to the mooted Hyundai ute rather than sharing a platform with established models, which are often the product of co-development deals between rival brands.

These include the Mazda BT-50 and Ford Ranger, the Isuzu D-Max and Holden Colorado or the Nissan Navara and its Renault Alaskan and Mercedes-Benz X-Class offshoots.

However, Mr Meredith was not yet sure whether other configurations such as cab-chassis would be offered, but said, “it would nice to do the whole spectrum”.