Fresh details of Kia’s upcoming ladder-frame bakkie – billed as a “genuine” rival to the likes of the Toyota Hilux and expected in 2025 – have emerged. Here’s what we know…

There’s long been talk about Kia launching a ladder-frame bakkie to take on the likes of the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. And now, thanks to official information reportedly shared by Kia’s headquarters with select dealerships in Australia (and promptly leaked to various publications), fresh details have emerged.

When asked about the new bakkie, Kia Australia released the following statement to various publications Down Under: “Kia is currently developing a future pick-up truck model that will be highly capable and fit for purpose. Additional details will be confirmed in due course.”

So, what else do we know, based on the leak? Well, though details are still frustratingly thin on the ground, reports from Aussie publications such as CarExpert and Drive claim the new 1-tonne bakkie – which was spied wearing camouflage late in 2022 – is known internally as the “TK” series. It will apparently ride on an “all-new” body-on-frame chassis rather than adopt a unibody configuration, and be offered in both single- and double-cab body styles.

The reports say the as-yet-unnamed Kia-badged bakkie is expected to hit showrooms in that country by 2025, with development having commenced back in 2020. The South Korean firm has reportedly promised its dealers the bakkie will be a “genuine and serious rival” to the Hilux and Ranger.

The Mohave sold in South Korea employs a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel powerplant.

As such, the TK series is being benchmarked against the segment’s strongest sellers and will apparently match them in terms of towing capacity and payload. So, expect a braked towing capacity of up to 3500 kg and a load capacity of about a tonne.

What about engine options? Well, for now, all we know – based on information ostensibly shared with Aussie dealers, anyway – is the Kia bakkie will be offered with turbodiesel power. Of course, we’ve already written extensively about the powertrain options currently available to the South Korean firm, including its familiar 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder oil-burner (which makes 147 kW and 440 Nm in other applications).

There’s also a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel unit, which powers the Mohave large SUV offered in South Korea, delivering 191 kW and 560 Nm in that domestic-market model. This engine, of course, would allow the Kia bakkie to go toe-to-toe with the 6-cylinder diesel versions of the Ranger and closely related Volkswagen Amarok.

As an aside, back in March 2022, Kia announced plans to expand its all-electric vehicle range to as many as 14 models by 2027, while also confirming 2 will take the form of battery-powered bakkies. It’s not yet clear whether the new ladder-frame bakkie will eventually also be offered in electric form as well.

Regardless, the diesel-powered version looks like an absolute no-brainer for Kia Motors South Africa, considering the fact it will indeed be built in right-hand-drive form for Australia…

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