Should the Kia Mohave 4WD come to Australia?

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Kia could compete with the likes of the Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Kluger if it brought its large three-row SUV, the Mohave, to Australia – but at this stage, the Mohave is a South Korean proposition only. 

Kia this week launched a deeply facelifted 2023 Mohave SUV in Korea with a broad range of additions over the version it replaces.

The Mohave was first launched in South Korea and the United States in 2008, wearing a Borrego badge in the American market. A body-on-frame off-roader, the Mohave would be something of a competitor to the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado if it were sold in Australia.

This large SUV has been given a light makeover for 2023 with the newly redesigned Kia branding being used for the first time on the Mohave. 

On the inside, the Mohave gains an updated steering wheel along with new Terracotta brown and Taupe grey leather upholstery options. A 12.3-inch digital infotainment screen is also standard on the equipment list. 

On the safety side of things, the new Mohave has a new multi-collision AEB system, but the updates don’t stop there. 

Work has been done to the chassis and handling, with Kia adding new chassis mounts and uprated shock absorbers to aid ride comfort – this could be particularly useful on Australian roads. 

While the Mohave was once powered by a V8 engine, the new 2023 version is much more efficient and is fitted with a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine that produces 186kW of power and 560Nm of torque. A new ‘emission reduction device’ has also been fitted to meet South Korean environmental laws. 

The 2023 Mohave is already on sale in South Korea and starts from AUD$57,575 and rises to AUD$68,178 for the top of the range Mohave Gravity. 

When compared to the similarly sized and equipped Hyundai Palisade, the Mohave would be quite good value here in Australia and priced accordingly. For reference, the Palisade costs as low as $55,000 and as high as $75,000 before on roads (depending on variant chosen).