New Karga to carry Kia in commercial vehicle segment

KIA Motors’ rebirth in the Philippines under the Ayala Automotive Group has seen the Korean brand launch new (or upgraded) cars and SUVs this year. Now, Kia adds a commercial vehicle to its local lineup.

Recently introduced by the company was the latest version of the Kia K2500, a nameplate which Kia Philippines said has consistently addressed the needs of government agencies, NGOs, MSMEs and large corporations. In its newest 18-passenger configuration, the K2500 is called the Karga.

The Karga is powered by a Euro4-compliant 2.5-liter, turbocharged, CRDi diesel engine that makes 128hp and 255Nm. Matched to the engine is a six-speed manual transmission. Though now available solely in rear-wheel drive, four-wheel drive variants will be introduced later this year, according to Kia Philippines.

It noted the Karga can also be ordered in cab-and-chassis and closed van versions, both with an 835-kilogram payload capacity.

Introductory price for the model’s cab-and-chassis variant is set at P810,000. The closed van version sells for P910,000, the 18-passenger Karga costs P998,000. All come with a three-year or 110,000-kilometer warranty coverage.