Kia's RidgeLine Fighter CUT
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Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,428
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From: NC
Kia's RidgeLine Fighter CUT
Kia Moving Forward w/ a PickUp Truck
Planning a pickup truck has been on Kia’s drawing board since the 2006, when it showed its Mojave Concept at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show. It now appears Kia is close to making the final decision on a pickup truck for sale in the U.S. The vehicle was one of the main subjects at Kia’s dealer meeting in February.
A source familiar with the Korean company’s plans says that the pickup has been approved for production at Kia’s plant in Georgia. The source said that the truck will be based on the new redesigned 2010 Sorento SUV.
Kia plans on using a front-wheel-drive unibody platform along with a V6 engine. The source said that new CEO Ahn Byung-Mo “is really pushing the truck.”
“He danced around it, but he left the door open that there is a distinct possibility we could get it,” said Hogan, a dealer in South Carolina.
“From a product perspective, the number-one choice of the dealers is a pickup,” Hogan said.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,575
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Agreed, it won't for heavy towing, where you want a box-perimeter/ladder frame, a V8 or diesel, and the drive wheels in back, but Kia apparantly isn't designing it to compete with the Ford Super Duty and Dodge Ram 2500/3500s. For what is designed for, it will probably do pretty well, as the Honda Ridgeline has done.
In fact, this truck has my curiosity up....I just added it to my review list as we speak.
In fact, this truck has my curiosity up....I just added it to my review list as we speak.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 14
From: Cali
The answer to a question nobody is asking.
The Ridgeline isn't exactly flying off of the showroom floor,
and sales are only as good as they are because of strong
factory to dealer incentives and low interest financing...
The Ridgeline isn't exactly flying off of the showroom floor,
and sales are only as good as they are because of strong
factory to dealer incentives and low interest financing...
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U.S. market isn't always Hyundai/Kia's first concern. This truck may end up being really cheap and do well in other markets. Heck you could fit a lot of illegal workers in that to bring 'em across the border. 
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CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 17,337
Likes: 213
From: Miami, Florida
There used to be an issue in Mexico, where suprisingly, 4x4 vehicles except Jeeps were not sold and often they would just sell the 2wd version of a vehicle (basically a take it or leave it approach) just to get rid of excess inventory that wouldn't sell elsewhere. The Chevy Suburban was one of those.
Last edited by Lexmex; Mar 18, 2008 at 10:37 AM.
kia and hyundai need to drop some bucks and hire a REAL car/truck designer instead of taking other manufacturer vehicles and driving them by a clown mirror to design a copy.
Girl = honda ridgeline
Mirror image = kia cut
Girl = honda ridgeline
Mirror image = kia cut
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,428
Likes: 10
From: NC
Update
Hyundai Kills Plans for Kia Truck; New Compact Car Coming Instead
Posted on: May 8th, 2008
This is the kind of news that usually folks like Reuters and Automotive News report, but our friend Ray Wert from Jalopnik is out hanging out with the Koreans this week for the Hyundai Genesis launch in Korea. Here are the latest details about the upcoming Kia pickup we told you about back in March. Simply put, there won’t be one.
Dr. Dong Jin Kim, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hyundai, said that the automaker has interest in the pickup market, however high-gas prices are killing the truck market.
“We don’t think right now is the right time to introduce one to the market. We investigated when we built the Kia Georgia plant, but in this environment we were forced to give up thoughts of the truck,” said Kim. ”Neither Hyundai nor Kia will produce one for the U.S.”
Instead the Hyundai plant in Georgia will get a new C-Segment Kia car. Kim said that if the platform allows Hyundai could also get the new small car.
Posted on: May 8th, 2008
This is the kind of news that usually folks like Reuters and Automotive News report, but our friend Ray Wert from Jalopnik is out hanging out with the Koreans this week for the Hyundai Genesis launch in Korea. Here are the latest details about the upcoming Kia pickup we told you about back in March. Simply put, there won’t be one.
Dr. Dong Jin Kim, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hyundai, said that the automaker has interest in the pickup market, however high-gas prices are killing the truck market.
“We don’t think right now is the right time to introduce one to the market. We investigated when we built the Kia Georgia plant, but in this environment we were forced to give up thoughts of the truck,” said Kim. ”Neither Hyundai nor Kia will produce one for the U.S.”
Instead the Hyundai plant in Georgia will get a new C-Segment Kia car. Kim said that if the platform allows Hyundai could also get the new small car.
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