Kia Could be Following Hummer’s Path
While GMC is the talk of the planet with the all-new, fully electric 2022 Hummer EV, Korean manufacturer Kia is also grabbing attention with a vehicle reminiscent of the AM General Humvee military SUV built for the U.S. Army.
Remember the late Borrego? Known as Mohave elsewhere in the world, it is still sold in some markets. Kia recently confirmed plans to adapt the platform for a next-generation light military truck.
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The company has a history of producing a range of vehicles for the Korean and overseas military. To date, Kia has supplied nine model types and 100 derivatives, and produced a total of 140,000 military vehicles.
The new model will be an open-air, all-terrain tactical vehicle in the same mould as GM’s Infantry Squad Vehicle based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. A prototype is due early in 2021. The developed vehicle “will not only be deployed for military purposes, but will also be used in various fields, such as industrial and leisure sectors,” the press release states.
And that right there is what may be the most interesting part. Kia could be following the same path as Hummer with the original H1 (then the H2 and H3). Wouldn’t that be incredible? The company has proven it can surprise people with an SUV like the three-row Telluride, and rumour has it an even larger and more rugged SUV is on the way. Let’s not forget the Kia pickup that’s also in the works.
Of course, let’s not get too carried away this soon. It’s possible a Korean Hummer will not land in North America at all. At the very least, Kia says it will apply technology and know-how from military vehicle development to improve the durability of its road-going SUVs.