I was thinking about other brands and thought of Kia, what if they came up with a truck? I would think their price point would be around $14k - $17k. What do you think of the idea of a Kia truck?

 

I don't even know anyone who would buy a Kia car, so I definitely don't know anyone who would buy a Kia truck.

If you're going to buy a truck, buy from an American company. Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Lincoln (do they still produce Lincoln pickups?).

 

Um, no thanks to anything KIA.

 

I know lots of Kia owners, my wife's sister's family is very loyal to Kia. I've never driven one but I had sat in one before and it wasn't anything special.

 

Since all auto companies are global, best to do a parts rundown before buying if you want a high percentage of US parts.

I see no reason to buy a Kia. US trucks and Japanese trucks can last thirty years or more if they aren't in the Rust Belt, and they are proven machines.

ALWAYS let someone else try new models (of anything, US or foreign) with THEIR money.

 

I just looked up Kia and had no idea they were from Korea, my sister in law said they were made in Japan. LOL

 

Korea can build any quality a customer requires (Samsung RAM, Daewoo weapons, etc) but there is no point in being a "beta tester" for me.

I don't care who sells me a vehicle, I buy vehicles to serve me and I tend to select those I can keep and conveniently support for decades.

 

So this is what the Ford vs the competition part of our program has turned in to? What if Kia built a truck? I wonder if Ford would ever start building quads to compete with Honda......

 

The would be pretty effing sweet, just saying.

 

Not anymore. And it was identical to an F-150 except for few cosmetic changes. Was a waste IMO because F-150s had highly optioned and all fancy versions for people who want throw their money away on an expensive truck.


As for the Kia truck. It apparently crossed Kia's mind because they built a concept truck for the US market some years ago. http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/aut...ia/mojave.html

They also make some utility pickups, no doubt for foreign markets. http://www.kiamotors.com/FileRootMai.../eng/K2700.pdf

I would not expect any truck Kia introduces into the US market to be in the $14k-$17k. Maybe at the upper end of the range for a base price. Kia prices are up there with the rest these days.

 

Kia and Hyundai do have some nicely styled vehicles on the road. IMHO, their only redeeming value is in the new car warranty.

 

I'm not big on their styling, but they probably are fine cars within their warranty.

 

My buddy had a kia back when they first hit the US and he ended up at the dealership with it atlest teo to three times a month for repairs you could give me one for target practice

 

My mom has owned three of them, a Sportage and two Sorentos. The Sportage and first Sorento were totalled out in accidents. The Sportage was hit in the rear at 40+ MPH and my mom walked away; it didn't even wake my 2-year old niece.

If your only experience with Kia was before 2006, you're not getting a full picture of what they're about. The newer units' quality is leaps and bounds above what they had 12-15 years ago.

I was unimpressed with the Sportage, because it's front-wheel-drive, and I hate the way that most of them are set up (I don't like twitchy steering). The first Sorento was rear-wheel-drive, and I really liked it. The second FWD Sorento is nice enough to get me to question some of my long-held predispositions. All three had build quality that was at least as good as anything else I've seen in the last decade.

They've also got stereos in them that are good enough that I have to spend over $1000 to match them in my 2007 SuperDuty. (yeah, that's STILL a sore point.)

I'd give them a serious look if they would offer a diesel engine vehicle in the US... (they had a diesel in the overseas version of the RWD/4WD Sorento that never saw the US...)

-blaine

 

I do believe that within the parameters of the new car warranty, Hyundai and Kia offer the most for the money with Mitsubishi nipping at their heels.

My route is speckled with Kia's of all trim levels as they are inexpensive to purchase. I ask all the time how t hey like the car and no one is complaining.