Dewan recently resumed assembly operations at their Sajawal plant with the launch of the Kia Shehzore commercial pickup, which originally is a K2700 pickup also sold under the Bongo moniker in certain markets and is considered a sister product of the Hyundai H-100 Porter commercial pickup.
Shehzore Nameplate- The Background
Dewan in its earlier stint with Hyundai Group between 1999 and 2008 introduced various locally assembled Hyundai and Kia vehicles in Pakistan which gained good popularity. Among those, the 3rd-generation H-100 Porter (renamed Shehzore) was a massive hit. It was the first choice vehicle in its segment and ruled the 1-ton commercial hauling market, so much so that the Shehzore became a household name.
The move by Dewan Group to label it with a more localized moniker helped achieve this goal. Shehzore was successful due to its robust performance and was considered a formidable option in its class having won the trust of customers due to its rugged construction, and unmatched reliability.
Related: Then vs Now: Hyundai Shehzore aka Porter H100
After the downfall of Dewan in 2008, the chapter of Hyundai & Kia in Pakistan was ended but was revived almost a decade later with Hyundai engaged with Nishat Group and Kia with Lucky Group. Dewan too, tried to make a comeback with Daehan commercial pickup and Ssangyong passenger cars but while Daehan’s pickup (also sold as Shehzore) was introduced in 2018, the Ssangyong project was never materialized.
Later, when Hyundai-Nishat intended to introduce the new 4th-gen Porter pickup in Pakistan in 2018, it got into a dispute with Dewan Group since the latter had already launched a Daehan pickup under the Shehzore moniker. Hyundai was not happy since it believed it had the right to use the Shehzore name but Dewan won it to use the word on its Daehan pickup which was later discontinued due to inferior quality and poor sales. Dewan eventually packed up its operations once again.
Another Comeback
This time, Dewan has teamed up with Kia’s commercial vehicles division, while Kia’s passenger vehicles will remain under the Lucky Group’s management. The company has once again introduced the Shehzore, and while the last Daehan Shehzore launched in 2018 had Chinese origins, the latest Shehzore is actually a rebadged Kia Bongo (also known as K-series/ K2500/ K2700), and as mentioned above, is a sister product of the Hyundai H-100 Porter.
The 2024 Dewan Kia Shehzore
New Shehzore Variants & Prices
The vehicle is offered in three variants in Pakistan, Standard Single Cab (PKR 38.59 lac), extended cab dubbed ‘King Cab’ (PKR 41.79 lac), and the double cab variant called Grand Cabin priced at a whopping PKR 74.99 lac. Under the hood, all variants are powered by a 2.7L diesel engine (similar to H-100 Porter) that develops 79 hp and 164 Nm paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Is the New Kia Shehzore Overpriced?
Shehzore’s price particularly that of its flagship Grand Cabin variant has been a subject of debate. What’s interesting is to note the bulk load of automotive portals and content creators during the launch campaigns desperately calling the double-cab Shehzore, a ‘Ghareeb aadmi ki Hilux Revo’ (Poor man’s Hilux Revo) because it’s clear they’re being paid to push that narrative. However, one should ask them how a significantly overpriced commercial loader, priced at Rs 7.5 million, can be labeled as ghareeb admi ki sawaari? (Poor man’s vehicle).
Another interesting fact is that the double-cabin Kia Bongo is only around 20% more expensive than its single-cab variant in most markets where it’s sold, but in Pakistan, it’s a whopping 95% more expensive than the single-cab variant. And no one dares to ask why. What’s even more interesting is that in the Philippines, the Bongo double cabin is the least expensive variant in the lineup and with a 4×4 drivetrain (absent in Pakistan), acts as a base model. Not to mention, since 2014, the vehicle has also offered a new and more efficient 2.5L (128hp/ 255Nm) turbocharged diesel engine option & 6-speed transmission, again not offered in Pakistan.
The automotive media community in Pakistan, including prominent auto portals, writers, and video content creators, are willing to act as marketing mouthpieces as long as they are getting paid. While this highlights the absence of genuine automotive journalism in the country, the marketing gurus and automakers can always pay them off and have them dance to their tune, hindering true journalism and preventing the public from accessing information transparently.
Shehzore as a Product
Although the new Shehzore’s performance is unquestionable—being technically identical to the Porter H-100 with a similar engine, drivetrain, suspension, and appearance—the priciest double-cabin variant qualifies to face some criticism. First is the visual appearance, it looks sort of obnoxious particularly from the sides due to a rather elongated cabin, which is much larger than what you see in other double cabin vehicles, and a shortened loading bed.
The second row offers an enormous legroom, way more than what many might need, but still has almost 90-degree upright seats. It would have been much better to have seats with a reclining function as those sitting at the back of such an expensive vehicle are bound to curse either the vehicle itself or those responsible for manufacturing it.
Furthermore, the Bongo double cabin comes as 4×4 in other markets, whereas this configuration remains absent in the locally offered Shehzore Grand Cabin, which is another drawback for such an expensive commercial hauler. Additionally, at Rs 74.99 lac, the Shehzore double cabin falls short by not including even a single airbag and missing other essential features, such as rear seatbelts for those seated on the 90-degree bench seats. Thankfully, the Shehzore Grand Cabin offers an air conditioner, which is missing in the remaining two variants.
Market Positioning
Shehzore’s immediate competitor is its cousin, the Hyundai Porter H-100 by Nishat which is priced between PKR 40.39 lac and PKR 40.79 lac. The base Single Cab variant of Shehzore at PKR 38.59 lac is a bit cheaper than H-100 while the King Cab variant is comparatively a bit expensive at PKR 41.79 lac. The H-100 Porter is currently the bestselling vehicle in its segment of the market while the new Kia Shehzore which is identical to its competitor is expected to get a fair share of the market due to competitive pricing. However, the double cabin version, with its significantly higher price, may struggle to achieve high sales volumes.
In all honesty, apart from a double cabin and an air conditioner, there is nothing similar between it and a Hilux Revo so the comparison, or even the need to mention Revo is utterly baseless. The use of an unnecessary connection to the Hilux Revo in the marketing exercises is nothing but a futile attempt to justify the exorbitant price tag of the double-cab variant.
Related: The Kia Stonic Price Reduction Racket in Pakistan
Although the Kia Shehzore represents Dewan’s another comeback to the Pakistani automotive foray, a thorough pricing revisit of its Grand Cabin variant is essential if the company hopes to replicate the Shehzore’s success from its glory days. However, we’ll need to wait and see how the other two variants perform in the market and if they can live up to the legacy of the old Shehzore.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
