Is this is how Kia will win the dual-cab ute war? Korean brand will try to rumble the Ranger and HiLux with tech-rich cabin and plenty of practicality - reports

While the incoming Kia ute will look suitably tough outside, new reports point to the Korean brand's diesel dual-cab offering a tech-heavy and premium cabin experience to seperate it from vehicles like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton.

While ute interiors are often more practical than premium, new US reports quoting unnamed sources close to Kia suggest the incoming Korean ute will flip the cabin script.

According to US outlet Car Scoops, the new ute will debut a huge twin-screen set-up, with  a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in front of the driver joining a second 12.3-inch multimedia screen in the centre of the dash.

And  the tech doesn't stop there either, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging for your smartphone, along with a clean, premium cabin layout that focuses on sustainable materials like cork, and a minimalist design theme front and back.

The site suggests Kia is also focusing on winning the practicality battle, with the brand aiming for its five-seat dual-cab to be among the most spacious in the ute segment.

As to what will be under the bonnet, we turn to local automotive website Performance Drive, which has reported its own scoop.

Quoting a source close to Kia, the site says it has confirmed the engine options for the new Kia ute, with the first being a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (lifted from the Kia Sorento), which currently produces 157kW and 420Nm.

That power figure puts it about on-par with most four-cylinder diesel competitors – and ahead of the HiLux – but it is a little off the pace on torque, with 450Nm to 500Nm pretty much the minimum requirement these days.

Kia is reportedly also set to launch its ute with a turbo-petrol engine, and specifically the 2.5-litre, four-cylinder unit from the Sonata N Line.

It produces a healthy 213kW and 422Nm, and would act as a viable alternative to people who don't put towing capacity at the top of their dual-cab wish list.

The third option will be an EV flagship, with the site reporting that the EV ute will be fitted with a 123kWh battery pack, deliver a driving range of 450km, and serve up a mountainous 410kW and 800Nm. Those figures dwarf everything on the market at present, and would make an all-wheel-drive electric Kia ute a stand-out flagship in Australia.

Back in 2019,  Kia Australia COO Damien Meredith told us "work has begun” on the brand's dual-cab offering. Back then, the executive confirmed the brand would pursue diesel and petrol options for its new ute.

"We're talking about a dual-cab, a single-cab - what we've requested is the full gamut for the ute, and that (includes) a dual-cab with diesel and petrol (options)," he told us.

All will be revealed soon enough, with details expected to flow this year ahead of the Kia ute's production start date in late 2023 or 2024.