Kia Motors plans to launch a pickup truck for U.S. consumers in the next few years as the South Korean automaker seeks continued growth domestically and globally.
The company announced Thursday that it will add pickup trucks, including a hybrid version, by 2030, in a major expansion of the brand into the lucrative U.S. market. At least one hybrid model will be produced in the United States, according to Kia’s CEO investor presentation.
car manufacturers in detroit general motors, ford motor and Chrysler’s parent company Stellantis Although full-size pickup trucks account for the majority of sales in the U.S., Kia Motors is reportedly planning to make its pickup trucks into smaller, mid-sized models.
That would put the car up against industry-leading Toyota Tacoma, as well as rivals such as the Ford Ranger, GM’s Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon.
“The U.S. pickup market accounts for approximately 20% of total demand and represents an important strategic segment. Considering its strategic importance, Kia Motors is launching a new body-on-frame pickup model to expand its customer base,” Kia Motors CEO Ho Sung Sung said in a presentation.
According to Automotive News, Kia expects to sell 90,000 pickups a year in North America and account for 7% of midsize pickups by 2034.
Kia Motors entered the global pickup truck market last year with a vehicle called the Tasman. It was not immediately clear whether the company would use that name or parts for its planned “U.S.-spec” pickup truck, or how much the U.S.-bound vehicle would cost.
Kia Motors did not immediately respond to a request for comment about its sales goals and whether all variants of its planned pickup trucks will be produced in the United States.
The company’s pickup truck plans were announced at the company’s 2026 CEO Investor Day, where it said it expects annual U.S. sales to increase to 1.02 million units and reach 6.2% of the market by 2030. By comparison, last year it sold more than 850,000 units, with a market share of about 5%.
Kia Motors CEO Ho Sung Song at the Kia CEO Investor Day in South Korea on April 9, 2026.
Provided by: Kia
The United States is key to Kia Motors’ global growth. According to the company, global sales jumped from less than 2.8 million units in 2021 to 3.14 million units last year. Kia Motors is the world’s eighth largest automaker on its own, but together with its parent company Hyundai Motors it ranks third.
Kia Motors announced on Thursday that it aims for global sales of 4.13 million vehicles and a market share of 4.5% by 2030. This exceeds the forecast for this year’s global sales of 3.35 million units and market share of 3.8%.
The company also announced plans to continue launching new fully electric vehicles as well as make a significant push into hybrid and electric long-range vehicles (EREVs), including a pickup truck planned for the United States.
