After teasing it multiple times over the previous months, Kia has finally unveiled its first-ever pickup truck, named the Tasman. The Tasman will go on sale in the Korean market in the first half of 2025, and will eventually be introduced in markets such as Australia, Africa and the Middle East. Offered in both single cab and double cab guises, the Tasman can be had in three variants- Base, X-Line, and the off-road focused X-Pro variant.
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The Tasman will go on sale in countries such as Korea, Australia and the Middle East
On the cosmetic front, Kia has opted for a boxy, utilitarian design for its first-ever pickup truck. The front end is characterised by rectangular vertically oriented headlamps, outlined by C-shaped DRLs, which are essentially integrated into the cladding above the front wheel arches. All variants of the pickup truck get a larger version of the familiar tiger nose grille, which is also seen on other models from Kia, along with a massive front bumper. The massive hood up front gives the vehicle an imposing stance. Towards the rear, the truck gets C-shaped taillamps.
The Tasman has a maximum payload capacity of 1,195 kg
The Kia Tasman will be offered with four cargo bed configurations: Single Decker, Double Decker, Sports Bar, and Ladder Rack. The cargo bed of the pickup can carry a maximum payload of 1,195 kg in 2WD mode. The vehicle has a 3,500 kg towing capacity.
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The pickup truck gets a panoramic display unit that sits atop the dashboard
On the inside, the Tasman’s dashboard is headlined by a panoramic display unit that combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and a five-inch display in the centre. The upper portion of the dashboard is covered with honeycomb patterning, which also doubles up as the openings for the AC vents. The centre console gets a large folding console table and dual wireless charging pads. An eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system is offered as an option on the truck.
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Both the X-Line and the X-Pro are equipped with all-wheel-drive as standard, which is available as an option on the base model. With AWD, the pickup truck gets three driving modes- Eco, Smart and Sport, along with terrain modes which include Desert, Mud, Snow and Rock modes. The X-Pro variant of the Tasman comes with an automatically engaging rear Electronic Locking Differential and an X-Trek mode, which allows the driver to cruise automatically at low speeds off-road. The pickup truck is also offered with an advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) suite with features such as lane keeping assist, blind spot collision warning and remote parking assist through Highway Driving Assist.
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The Tasman can be had with either a turbo petrol or diesel engine
On the powertrain front, the Tasman can be had with two powertrain options- a 2.5-litre petrol engine (277 bhp, 421 Nm) and a 2.2-litre diesel engine (207 bhp, 441 Nm). The petrol can solely be had with an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel is offered with either an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox (depending on the market). In terms of acceleration, the petrol-powered Tasman can do the 0 to 100 kmph run in 8.5 seconds, while the diesel can do the same sprint in 10.4 seconds.
