The two Korean companies use similar tech, so where is the Kia double-cab?

Global automakers are navigating very uncertain times. Resources are being poured into electric vehicles, but the real revenues remain with more traditional products. Like bakkies.

The tasty profits and low battery powertrain expectations in the bakkie market appeal to many product development teams. Brands that would never consider a bakkie, are pivoting into the double-cab space.

Some have failed. Most noticeably, Mercedes-Benz. But with lots of cash on hand and robust R&D structures, the Koreans are finally embarking upon a double-cab product initiative of their own.

Hyundai has been first, as one would expect from Korea’s largest automotive company. The Santa Cruz double-cab looks great and is based on the Tucson SUV platform, making it nearly perfect in configuration and purpose, as a lifestyle bakkie.

But as most things Hyundai are also Kia, why is the latter not marketing a bakkie, yet? This is an excellent question, as the two brands use the same components and platforms.

Kia has the potential to produce a terrific large double-cab bakkie. How? It could simply create a double-cab version of the award-winning Telluride large SUV.

Although that would mean a unibody platform, with the Telluride using an adapted version of Kia’s Sorento platform, the sacrifice in loadability would be offset by passenger comfort and ride quality.

A Kia bakkie would seem such a logical product evolution. But news from Australia indicates that it won’t be happening. Soon.

Kia’s Australian boss, Damian Meredith, has been trying to convince the company’s Korean CEO of the double-cab product merits. But although Kia recognizes demand, a bakkie project doesn’t appear to have momentum.

Speaking to the Australian media outlet, CarsGuide, Meredith admitted as much. “We haven’t had any definitive answer from Kia headquarters.”

The truth is that Hyundai’s Santa Cruz bakkie was developed and configured before the pandemic or chip crisis.

In a constrained supply chain world, where the focus for Kia is on expanding its electric vehicle offering, a double-cab bakkie is not quite the product priority. Although many South African fans of the brand, wish it was.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz has received quite a lot of adoration from SA bakkie fans

Further Reading

The Kia double-cab that’s the toughest bakkie yet