Kia’s Klassiker neu aufgelegt: Der Bongo Lastwagen bereit für 2025

Kia revitalizes its classic truck for 2025

The impressively affordable Bongo may be two decades old, yet it remains in excellent condition

There's a common misconception that the Tasman will be Kia's inaugural foray into the world of "trucks" (the American term for Pick-Ups). In reality, the brand has had a "truck" in the sense of a "commercial vehicle" for quite some time: the lesser-known Bongo has been around since 1980.

Despite its initial release back in 2005, the fourth generation of this model is still in production. Moreover, this relatively compact truck, which is closer to a delivery van, is receiving several upgrades in South Korea. While the design might seem dated, this vehicle is actually a 2025 model of the year.

Photo Gallery: The 2025 Kia Bongo

The Kia Bongo comes in both single and double cabin models, now boasting a more comprehensive standard equipment package that includes electric folding mirrors and cruise control. Higher trim levels also see interior enhancements such as chrome door handles and an updated handbrake lever. A fire extinguisher comes standard across all trim options.

Bongo, tailored for small businesses, is now available with an automatic transmission option as a driving school vehicle. Previously, it was offered solely with a manual transmission. The Kia truck can be acquired by customers with either two-wheel or four-wheel drive and has a carrying capacity of up to 1.2 tons. It features a cargo bed that measures 2.85 meters in length and 1.63 meters in width. In terms of size, the Bongo stretches to 5.15 meters long, making it comparable in dimensions to a Mercedes Vito.

Over time, the Kia Bongo has undergone updates and now boasts contemporary features such as a ventilated driver's seat, a push-button start, and a 10.25-inch infotainment display. Additionally, Kia has equipped the vehicle with an array of safety technologies, including rear parking assistance, collision avoidance systems, and lane keeping assistance.

The performance output of the 2.5-liter engine, which runs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is 159 horsepower and 294 Newton-meters of torque, which is delivered to the road through an automatic transmission. With a manual transmission, the output decreases to 138 horsepower and 255 Newton-meters.

Kia has introduced an all-electric version of the Bongo, which comes equipped with a power output of 183 horsepower and a torque of 394 Nm. The electric vehicle is powered by a 58.8 kWh battery, capable of covering a distance of 210 kilometers on a full charge. It supports fast charging up to 100 kW, allowing the battery to go from 10% to 80% in just 47 minutes.

In South Korea, the starting price for the basic model, which has a lower payload capacity of 1,000 kg, is an attractively low €13,500. Even the more powerful version, outfitted with the top-tier features, doesn't exceed €17,000. For those interested in an electric version without a combustion engine, the two-wheel-drive Bongo EV starts at approximately €29,000.

Interesse an gewerblichen Fahrzeugen?

The Bongo stands out due to its rarity as it serves as a genuine utility vehicle devoid of any extra frills that would escalate its cost. Similarly, Toyota is doing the same with its latest Hilux Champ, a robust workhorse stripped of fancy features to maintain an affordable price tag of around 12,000 Euros in Thailand.

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