Although it just debuted for 2009, Kia has put its seven-passenger Borrego SUV on ice for 2010: There will be no 2010 Kia Borrego. The long-term prognosis appears doubtful, too, as a Kia official told the Car Connection's Marty Padgett, "TBD."
We questioned Kia's decision to launch a traditional, body-on-frame SUV, particularly one with a V8 engine, in mid-2008. Fuel prices were uncomfortably high when it launched, and though they've since moderated, most people aren't looking to old-school trucks anymore for family transportation. This makes it doubly hard for a newcomer to get noticed, and evidently, the Borrego hasn't. Only 9,500 have been sold in 2009 as of November.
bodyblue says:
08:29 AM, 12/30/09
I like Kias....but this truck was doomed from the start. Kia should stick to what they do really well....small to mid sized cars that are dependable and affordable with a long warranty...they have already blown away Mazda in the past few years in sales and are aiming at Nissan next. Don't kid yourselves, gas prices are on the way back up and will continue that direction. Big SUVs will only be niche players in the next few years, why bother?
cr_driver says:
08:34 AM, 12/30/09
Wow, what a big hit they took!
What a bad timing....wonder if this move is only in the USA or in other markets?
dg0472 says:
09:38 AM, 12/30/09
cr_driver,
According to the Car Connection article, Mohave sales have been better so it might stick around in some markets, but the rumors I've been hearing for the US are that it and the Sedona are due to be replaced in the US with a large unibody CUV-type thingy.
orangutan says:
10:04 AM, 12/30/09
It gets decent mileage for being a body-on-frame vehicle, and if they would roll out the diesel engine they had been talking about for it things would be even better. I think only niche body-on-frames like the Xterra and 4Runner will survive while the rest, the Explorers and Durangos, that don't die are already/will move to unibody platforms. Considering that the Borrego gets 15/22 with the 4.6 V8, RWD, and BOF construction while the Hyundai Santa Fe gets 17/24 with a 3.3V6, FWD, and unibody construction or the CX-7 17/23, t's actually quite competitive relatively. Nobody wants to buy these vehicles any more, though. Maybe I'll help clear out the 2009 stock...
bankerdanny says:
11:27 AM, 12/30/09
You need to fix the link to the full test, it goes to the same place as the Car Connection link.
dg0472 says:
03:58 PM, 12/30/09
Orangutan,
The Santa Fe is up to 20/26 with the 3.5 V6 for 2010, same as the new Sorento, so the Borrego is looking less and less attractive for those who don't absolutely need the towing ability.
pat1usmc says:
04:07 PM, 12/30/09
I wouldn't mind picking one up for a discount. I like the looks and they got decent reviews. I already see them at around $5k off MSRP at dealerships around me.
billt9 says:
06:55 PM, 12/30/09
There's virtually no civilized terrain that needs a body on frame.
You'd really have to live far out there to find something a crossover AWD can't handle.
moparbad says:
07:51 PM, 12/30/09
In the midwest, large SUV's are still popular. Very popular. Body on frame or unibody, as long as it is big, 4WD and has a V8 they sell. $4 gallon gasoline could not stop them. Problem with the Borrego is the Kia on the grill. If it was a Tahoe, Yukon or Grand Cherokee the sales numbers would be fantastic.
Borrego is a very nice vehicle, Kia is just not on the shopping list of large SUV buyers.
Perception of Kia is still that it makes disposable econboxes.
suvblogger says:
08:22 PM, 12/30/09
The Borrego is certainly the most unKia-like of all the models but it's very good at what it does, and undercuts the competition in price. Competitive or not, it doesn't matter. Consumers are not buying large truck based SUVs in mass quantity. Period.