New 2026 Kia Borrego / Mohave Digitally Targets America's Body-on-Frame Mid-Size SUVs

Only the Korean automaker knows the answer to this question, and even if we've seen a pickup mule testing with the same body as the potent off-roader, save for an open bed design, obviously, we wouldn't hold our breath for it. Not for the foreseeable future, anyway, as for the moment, Kia does not intend to take a swing as America's body-on-frame high-riders with such a product.

But what is up with these pictures depicting the 2026 Kia Borrego / Mohave? Well, they are nothing more than mere renderings that came via Digimods Design on YouTube. These digital illustrations were inspired by some of Kia's latest products, hence the familiar front and rear end designs, and imagine what a hypothetical U.S.-return of this model would look like, as imagined by the quoted pixel manipulator.

Compared to the Mohave Kia sells in South Korea, this CGI model sports a brand-new face with arrow-shaped lighting units, a shorter grille, and a more aggressive bumper with a large intake in the middle. The back end is on the more modern side, with its fresh taillights linked together by a light strip, a cleaner tailgate, and a new bumper that also holds the license plate. The diffuser looks sportier, and the vehicle has black cladding on the lower parts of the body.

It is also worth noting that the profile is different from the real thing. It has redesigned rear three-quarter windows and new side windows. The roof rails are more discreet, and the roofline does not arch behind the central pillars. As a result, backseat passengers wouldn't struggle for headroom, and the carbo area would be very spacious if this ride were real. The wheels have a simple design and were digitally wrapped in normal tires.

Powering the current Kia Mohave in its home market is a 3.0-liter diesel engine that produces 253 horsepower (257 ps/189 kW) and 413 pound-feet (560 Nm) of torque. It's paired with an automatic transmission with eight gears and benefits from standard four-wheel drive. The diesel burner is the only lump available for this model, so a hypothetical Borrego for North America would need a gasoline engine under its hood to be competitive.

Now, as mentioned above, Kia likely does not intend to grace our shores with a brand-new Borrego, which was dropped from our market over a decade ago. However, we reckon some of you would gladly purchase such a ride if it were available. So, would you kick other mid-size 4x4s out of bed for it? Let us know what you think of this model in the comments area below.