The Kia Pamax was a medium-weight truck of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes that Kia built from 2000 to 2004. It was developed together with Hyundai and was essentially a facelifted Hyundai Mighty II, and it turned out to be the last commercial vehicle Kia ever launched.
Kia Pamax at a glance
| Maker | Kia Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | September 2000–November 2004 |
| Internal code | WT1 |
| Class | 2.5 to 3.5-tonne medium truck |
| Developed with | Hyundai Motor Company |
| Based on | Hyundai Mighty II facelift |
| Engine | 3,300 cc turbodiesel, 120 PS |
| Equipment | large brakes, ABS, airbag optional |
| Four-wheel drive | from 30 April 2002 |
| Name origin | Power and Max |
Based mainly on one source, the Korean Wikipedia article on the Pamax.
History of the Kia Pamax
The Pamax was developed jointly with Hyundai, with production and sales split between the two companies. It was launched in October 2000 as the successor to the Kia Trade, and it was the last medium truck Kia produced as well as the last commercial vehicle the company introduced. Its name combines Power and Max.
Engineering
The truck used a 3,300 cc turbocharged engine of 120 PS, large brakes, ABS and an optional airbag. Because it was a facelift of the Hyundai Mighty II, it was identical to that truck apart from the front end, and it was built on the Mighty II line, which saved Kia a large amount of money. Four-wheel drive was added on 30 April 2002.
The end
The Pamax was too similar to the Mighty II to attract buyers of its own, and sales fell. It could not meet the emission rules that came into force in September 2004, and it was discontinued without a successor at the same time as the Kia Rhino. With that, Kia withdrew completely from the medium truck market, and Hyundai’s Mighty went on to dominate the class in Korea for sixteen years, until Tata Daewoo launched the Deussen in 2020. The Pamax headlights are said to fit the Hyundai E-Mighty, because the E-Mighty was developed from the Pamax design.
Design and features
- Hyundai twin: a Mighty II with a different front end, built on the same line.
- 3.3-litre turbo: 120 PS with ABS and large brakes.
- Four-wheel drive: offered from 2002, unusual in this class.
- No successor: the last medium truck and last commercial vehicle from Kia.
Kia Pamax versions
- Pamax WT1 (2000–2004): the standard rear-wheel-drive truck.
- Pamax 4WD (2002–2004): four-wheel drive added in April 2002.
The Pamax replaced the Kia Trade and was dropped together with the Kia Rhino, ending Kia’s medium truck line. More Kia models are in the Kia collection.
Sources
- Kia Pamax, Korean Wikipedia: dates, engine, Hyundai link, end of production
- Hyundai Mighty, English Wikipedia: the model the Pamax was based on
