Kia Tasman Pickup Unveiled for Markets Outside North America
Kia has finally unveiled its first-ever pickup, called Tasman, which is aimed at South Korea, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. Don’t hold your breath: it’s not coming to North America. But seeing the way it looks, who’s going to complain?
The Kia Tasman is a midsize truck available in a single-cab, double-cab or chassis-cab configuration. It has that boxy shape people look for, but the unique treatment given to the front grille, the lower body and especially the wheel arches definitely raises eyebrows. Darker body colours make it easier to swallow. More conventional wheel arches are optional, too.
- Also: Kia Spotted Testing EV9-Like Electric Pickup in the U.S.
- Also: Confirmed: Kia Developing New Pickup… for Australia
The bulging hood and oversized Kia logos emphasize the muscular look, as do the available 17- and 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. By the way, the Tasman rides on a body-on-frame architecture, not a unibody construction like that of the Honda Ridgeline or Hyundai Santa Cruz.
The cargo bed in the rear is six feet long, offers 1,173 litres of room and boasts a max payload of 1,195 kg (2,635 lbs) in 4x2 configuration. As for towing, the Tasman is good for up to 3,500 kg (7,716 lbs), which is marginally better than the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon and Jeep Gladiator.
The main engine is a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder producing 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It can be mated to a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, enabling 0-100 km/h sprints in 8.5 seconds. Other gasoline and diesel engines are available depending on the markets.
What about off-road capability? The Tasman is aided by a double-wishbone front suspension and a solid rear axle with leaf springs. According to Kia, it can ford water up to 31.5 inches (80 cm) deep at speeds of 7 km/h. Further water ingress prevention measures, such as the use of waterproof connectors for selected interior parts, have been taken to protect critical components.
Let’s move inside, where the design is much more attractive than the exterior and almost SUV-like, although there’s a huge centre console with a folding armrest that doubles as a work table. State-of-the-art 12.3-inch + 5-inch + 12.3-inch panoramic widescreen technology gives the driver and passenger access to vehicle controls and advanced infotainment options, while a number of physical controls remain for easy use.
Kia brags about the Tasman offering best-in-class headroom, shoulder room and second-row legroom, with the rear seats able to recline between 22 and 30 degrees. Spacious storage bins are hidden underneath.
The Kia Tasman will initially go on sale in South Korea in the first half of 2025, with other markets to follow. As mentioned up top, it won’t land on our shores. We know that Kia is also working on an electric pickup as a camouflaged prototype was caught testing in the U.S. in the spring. Will we get this one? There’s a good chance, provided of course that production takes place in the U.S. The Kia EV9 plant or Hyundai Motor Group’s new metaplant, both in Georgia, would do the trick.