The local commercial truck segment is booming, now more than ever. Because of the pandemic, most of us Filipinos no longer frequent shopping malls and opt to have the stuff we need delivered.

Light-duty commercial vehicles like the Hyundai H-100 and the Kia K2500 seem to have found a place in the courier service industry. These vehicles are the go-to mobility tools for entrepreneurs and delivery services operators who need to move items that can’t be carried by a moped.

On the fence about which of these commercial units would suit your business needs? That and more will be answered as these workhorses go to war.

First, let’s check some stats.

Exterior

Hyundai H-100

• Dimensions (L x W x H): 4,850mm x 1,740mm x 1,970mm
• Wheelbase: 2,430mm
• Ground Clearance: 185mm

Kia K2500

• Dimensions (L x W x H): 4,825mm x 1,740mm x 2,105mm
• Wheelbase: 2,415mm
• Ground Clearance: 200mm

In terms of size, both commercial vehicles are neck and neck with the Kia K2500 edging its fellow South Korean by a hair in terms of height and ground clearance. For some, this may be of little significance, but for others, a higher vehicle could mean that they could load more items and a higher ground clearance means that it can breeze through potholes and speed bumps, even when fully loaded.

Both come with your standard exterior amenities like halogen headlamps, body-colored bumpers, windshield wipers, an antenna, and rear lamps.

While these commercial vehicles are virtually identical, we give this round to the taller (and with a higher ground clearance) K2500.

Interior

There’s not much to talk to in terms of cabin amenities as these vehicles are designed with utility, rather than comfort, in mind.

You’ll find basic amenities inside both vehicles including gauges, interior rearview mirrors, and assist grips on the driver and the passenger’s side. 

Both vehicles also have powerful A/Cs that keep driver and cargo cool for the rest of the trip. These commercial trucks are tied for this round.

Engine

Under the hood, the Hyundai H-100 is fitted with a 2.5-liter CRDi DOHC 16-valve (Euro 4) diesel engine. It’s mated to a six-speed manual transmission and can generate a maximum power output of 128hp and 254Nm of torque.

Similarly, the Kia K2500 is equipped with a 2.5-liter inter-cooled turbocharged diesel mill. Likewise, it’s mated to a six-speed manual transmission and can out a maximum power of 128hp and 255Nm of torque.

Like the previous round, both commercial light-duty trucks are neck and neck in terms of engine performance.

Safety

To keep the driver and cargo safe while in transit, both trucks are outfitted with seatbelts at the front.

Supporting the H-100 are double wishbone and torsion bar springs at the front as well as semi-elliptical laminated leaf springs at the rear. They are paired with hydraulic double-acting telescopic type shock absorbers on front and rear axles and a torsion bar on the front axle for stability.

It uses ventilated disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear.

The Kia K2500 takes a similar approach to safety as it uses a torsion bar spring suspension at the front with a multi-leaf spring setup at the rear.

For its brakes, the Kia K2500 is fitted with discs at the front and drums at the rear.

Again, it’s a tie for us.

Pricing and variants

Hyundai H100:

• H-100 2.5 CRDi GL 6MT PE w/o Front AC – P965,000
• H-100 2.5 CRDi GL 6MT PE w/ Front AC – P1,005,000
• H-100 2.5 CRDi GL 6MT PE Shuttle-HA w/o Front AC – P1,210,000
• H-100 2.5 CRDi GL 6MT PE Shuttle-HA w/ Front AC – P1,250,000
• H-100 2.5 CRDi GL 6MT PE Cargo-HA w/o AC – P1,038,000
• H-100 2.5 CRDi GL 6MT PE Cargo-HA w/ AC – P1,078,000

Kia K2500:

• C&C 4x2 Karga Dual Aircon – P1,110,000
• C&C 4x2 Kargo Front Aircon – P970,000
• C&C 4x2 C-Van Dual Aircon – P920,000
• C&C 4x4 Karga Dual Aircon – P1,215,000
• C&C 4x4 Double Cab – P955,000
• C&C 4x4 Single Cab – P908,000
• C&C 4x2 S. Cab Dropside – P865,000
• C&C 4x4 S. Cab Dropside – P955,000
• C&C 4x2 D. Cab Dropside – P995,000
• C&C 4x2 Single Cab – P820,000

Verdict

While both commercial light-duty trucks are evenly matched, the winner of the war is the Kia K2500. It does come as a taller commercial vehicle but just the breadth of variants the K2500 has to offer is sure to give any businessman what he’s looking for.

Photos from Hyundai and Kia

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Kia PH Assures K2500 Buyers: We Got You