Kia’s 2026 Work Truck Update Raises One Big Question: Where’s the Diesel?

[Courtesy of Kia] Kia has upgraded the 2026 Kia Bongo III with a wider-angle front camera that improves detection of obstacles, lanes, and vehicles, enabling Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist to recognize cyclists in addition to vehicles and pedestrians and making FCA standard across all trims, while the EV version gains enhanced Lane Keeping Assist capable of detecting road boundaries and the 1-ton 4WD GL Light trim adds a tinted windshield to improve insulation and driver visibility.

[Courtesy of Kia] Kia has rolled out practical cargo-focused upgrades across its Bongo III range, with the LPG Turbo truck and wing body variants gaining LED cargo-area lighting that is three times brighter than before to improve visibility in low-light operations, while the 10.25-inch Navigation Package has been expanded to the 1.2-ton box truck, wing body, and power-gate models, adding a 10.25-inch navigation display, rear-view camera, automatic climate control, USB-C ports, and a push-button smart key to broaden convenience options across the lineup built around the Kia Bongo III.

[Courtesy of Kia] Kia expanded the 2026 Kia Bongo III lineup with three new special-purpose variants focused on cargo efficiency, including an LPG Turbo expandable wing body that extends the cargo bed by 11 inches (280 mm) and adds a wireless remote with a one-touch sliding rear step, and a refrigerated truck with a power gate that increases top length and height, integrates an electric hydraulic lift, and is optimized for fresh produce transport with a dual-compressor refrigeration system, driver-operated temperature controls, and a stainless steel embossed cargo floor.

[Courtesy of Kia] Kia has expanded its commercial EV lineup with a High-Roof Freezer Truck that raises roof height by 5.1 inches to increase cargo volume, adds a dual-compressor refrigeration system with a center-console temperature controller, and offers stainless steel embossed or aluminum flat cargo floors, while pricing starts at 20.55 million KRW (15,412 USD) for the LPG Turbo 1-ton model and climbs to 63.61 million KRW (47,707 USD) for special-purpose variants including the EV high-roof freezer based on the Kia Bongo III, as the company leverages customer feedback to strengthen its small commercial vehicle position even as some buyers voice concern over the absence of diesel options, prompting industry speculation about a possible diesel return in future updates.