Some official teaser images of the new Kia Tasman ute have been handed out of the first time, providing some real clues as to what the new model will look like. And we’re glad to see our insider-drawn renderings from a few of months ago are quite similar.
Firstly, no. Kia hasn’t confirmed or revealed any further specifications or trim level details. Instead, the company has mainly focused on talking about the unique wrap applied to the prototype’s body. It was designed by artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop. He says he wanted to encapsulate the essence of the Australian outback, with lots of red and yellow. Karim Habib, head of Kia Global Design, said:
“Our Tasman pickup truck embodies Kia’s commitment to design and innovation, as well as its spirit of adventure. Artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop crafted an exclusive camouflage design, with the support of the Kia design team, that depicts a journey and reflects an essence of adventure that is unique to the Tasman.”
At the front you’ve got a slab-like bonnet and upright face, with protruding horizontal wheel arch trimmings along the sides (similar to our renderings), a five-bar front grille which is expected to be surrounded by a large interpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ shape, and then somewhat separated headlights arranged in a vertical stack.
As far as we know, the Kia Tasman will be offered with a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel producing around 157kW and 420Nm, along with a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder developing around 206kW and 422Nm, and a fully electric system generating up to 410kW and 800Nm (with 0-100km/h in about 4.9 seconds).
We’re not sure what options will make it to Australia, but our guess is the electric version will be prioritised for some overseas markets first, and then Australia. We’ve also heard there will be a Ford Ranger Wildtrak X style of variant, offering increased off-road capability and attitude.
Prices are set to kick off from around $50,000 for the base model, and then $65,000 for an ‘SR5’ mainstream flagship, and from $77,000 for the super-rugged flagship. The electric model is slated to kick off from around $90,000. Speaking about its arrival, Kia Australia said:
“Scheduled to make its debut in 2025, the Tasman marks Kia’s inaugural entry into the Light Commercial Vehicle arena with a phased rollout across key markets including Korea, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East.”
