Kia has officially entered the pickup truck arena with the unveiling of its groundbreaking model, the Kia Tasman. This bold move marks a significant expansion of Kia’s diverse vehicle lineup, promising to redefine the pickup sector with its innovative design, cutting-edge technology, and unparalleled practicality. The Kia Tasman is not just another pickup; it’s a statement of intent, inviting customers to “dive into a new dimension” of what a truck can offer, blending workhorse capability with lifestyle versatility.
Designed to challenge conventional pickup norms, the Kia Tasman boasts a purposeful exterior and interior, class-leading space, and advanced features tailored to meet the demands of both professional and leisure activities. With a global launch slated for 2025, the Kia Tasman is poised to make waves in markets worldwide, starting with its debut at the Jeddah International Motor Show.
Redefining the Pickup Landscape with Purposeful Design and Innovation
The Kia Tasman is engineered to push boundaries, delivering a fresh perspective on pickup design and functionality. It stands out with its robust yet refined aesthetics, advanced technology integrations, and a cabin that prioritizes space and comfort. This pickup is designed to be more than just a work vehicle; it’s a versatile companion for every aspect of life.
Leveraging Kia’s extensive experience in developing durable and capable vehicles, including off-road models, the Tasman is built to perform. It aims to seamlessly blend into various lifestyles, whether it’s tackling tough jobsites or embarking on weekend adventures.
A Progressive Pickup for the Modern Lifestyle
The Kia Tasman embodies a progressive approach to pickup design, moving away from traditional, often bulky aesthetics to embrace a more streamlined and functional form. It’s designed to cater to the growing demand for lifestyle-oriented trucks, equipped with features that enhance both practicality and user experience.
Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia, emphasizes this vision: “Kia’s first-ever pickup truck was created from the ground up to transform the market and respond to the growing preference for lifestyle-oriented trucks with advanced features. The Kia Tasman is a progressive pickup truck that follows its own path – not the competition. The Kia Tasman combines true pickup values with exceptional capability and practicality, and advanced features that defy conventional thinking. This essence is instilled in our global slogan ‘Dive into a New Dimension’, enabling customers to broaden their horizons. It offers world-first solutions for those seeking a lifestyle vehicle for leisure and outdoor activities while meeting the needs of small business operators, such as traders and farmers.”
Kia Tasman pickup truck bold front design showcasing the signature Tiger Face grille and vertical headlamps, emphasizing a robust and modern aesthetic.
Striking Exterior Design: A Departure from Tradition
Kia’s design team consciously broke away from the established design language prevalent in the pickup segment. The result is a vehicle with an honest and straightforward form, emphasizing solid power through functional elements rather than relying on oversized styling. The Kia Tasman projects an image of capability and confidence, designed to be a reliable partner in any situation.
Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design, describes the design philosophy: “Created especially for explorers, adventurers and people who like to get things done, the Kia Tasman is designed to serve as a dependable companion in every situation. Solid and capable, its design begins with an honest form, using simple and rugged elements to capture a spirit of practicality. The Kia Tasman is a pickup truck that effortlessly blends lifestyle and utility, and represents our commitment to always bring bold and innovative ideas to our customers.”
The front fascia is dominated by an expansive radiator grille and bumper, accentuating the truck’s width and stance. The familiar Kia Tiger Face is framed by the hood trim and grille, incorporating vertically oriented signature lighting within the headlamps. The upright windshield and rear glass contribute to the Tasman’s assertive silhouette, further enhanced by the dynamic angles of its graphic elements. Unique fender designs integrate practical features like headlights and storage units, showcasing a blend of functionality and design clarity.
At the rear, the Kia Tasman reinforces its practical nature with a bold, stamped logo on the tailgate. The seamless integration of the tailgate handle and high-mounted stop lamp adds to its utilitarian yet refined character. Customers can choose from nine exterior colors, including Clear White, Snow Pearl White, Steel Gray, Interstellar Gray, Cityscape Green, Runway Red, Aurora Black Pearl, and new shades Tan Beige and Denim Blue, allowing for personalization and style expression.
Kia Tasman pickup truck rear view highlighting the stamped Kia logo on the tailgate and integrated lighting, emphasizing a functional and robust design.
Interior Design: Merging Practicality with Modern Aesthetics
The interior of the Kia Tasman continues the theme of innovation, presenting a cabin that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. It prioritizes purity and simplicity, creating a space that is durable and user-friendly over years of use. The robust and rugged ambiance is inherently pickup truck-like, yet the interior design employs concise, symmetrical proportions to achieve a sense of stability and balance.
Large air vents with a honeycomb pattern underscore the ventilation system’s functionality, while a multi-function steering wheel and a minimalist lower center dashboard with well-placed buttons ensure intuitive control over the vehicle’s advanced technology. Sophisticated shapes and detailing throughout the cabin elevate the standard for pickup truck interiors, offering a touch of luxury and refinement.
A state-of-the-art panoramic widescreen display, incorporating 12.3-inch + 5-inch + 12.3-inch screens, provides both driver and passenger with access to vehicle controls and infotainment. An optional eight-speaker Harmon Kardon premium audio system, along with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, enhances the in-cabin experience.
Practicality is further enhanced by features like a large folding console table, dual wireless charging pads, and hidden under-seat storage bins offering a class-leading 33 liters of capacity. The Kia Tasman also boasts best-in-segment headroom, shoulder room, and second-row legroom (940mm), with rear seats that recline between 22 and 30 degrees for optimal passenger comfort.
Reflecting Kia’s commitment to sustainability, the Tasman’s interior incorporates ten must-have sustainability items. These include a bio-plastic crash pad, seats crafted from recycled PET fabric and bio-PU synthetic leather, BTX-free and bio-paint compositions, and recycled PET material for the interior carpet.
Interior trim options include Onyx Black/Medium Gray, Espresso Brown/Onyx Black, and Deep Green/Medium Gray. For the more off-road-focused X-Line and X-Pro models, two-tone color options like Onyx Black/Medium Gray and Deep Green/Terracotta Brown are available, allowing customers to tailor the interior to their personal style and the truck’s intended use.
Kia Tasman pickup truck interior displaying the panoramic widescreen display, spacious cabin design, and modern dashboard layout, emphasizing comfort and technology.
Kia Tasman Trims and Specifications: Tailored for Every Need
The Kia Tasman is offered in various trims to cater to different customer needs and preferences. The lineup includes the double cab base model, the X-Line, and the X-Pro trims. The X-Pro variant is designed for superior off-road performance, featuring a 28mm increase in ground clearance, totaling 252mm. It comes equipped with 17-inch gloss-black wheels fitted with all-terrain tires. The X-Line trim offers larger 18-inch alloy wheels paired with highway and terrain tires, striking a balance between on-road refinement and off-road capability.
Kia also provides customizable chassis cab variants to meet specific commercial needs, along with single cab options that maximize bed space by reconfiguring the passenger cabin into a single row. This broad range of configurations ensures that the Kia Tasman can serve as a versatile platform for various applications, from personal use to heavy-duty work.
Customization is a key aspect of the Kia Tasman experience, with a wide array of accessories designed to enhance both leisure and work activities. These accessories are standardized in design, innovative, and uniquely tailored to the Tasman, providing practical solutions that maximize the vehicle’s spaciousness, utility, and all-terrain capability.
Four bed accessory configurations will be available: Single Decker, Double Decker, Sports Bar, and Ladder Rack, with the first three available at launch. A total of 13 accessory products will be offered, including two types of side steps and beadlock-style wheels. The Tasman Single Decker features a canopy with butterfly doors for easy access and a roof rack for a rooftop tent. The Tasman Double Decker includes a trunk with butterfly doors and a sliding tonneau cover, offering customizable cargo space. The Sports Roll Bar variant provides a functional frame for mounting outdoor lifestyle gear, while the Ladder Rack variant is compatible with rooftop tents and ladder-type racks.
Kia Tasman X-Pro model showcasing off-road accessories, including roof rack and specialized bed configuration, highlighting customization and adventure readiness.
Drivetrain: Performance and Comfort Across Terrains
The Kia Tasman is built on a fully optimized body-on-frame platform, ensuring robust performance and durability. In the Korean market, it will be available with a 281PS 2.5-liter petrol engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine delivers 421Nm of torque, enabling the Kia Tasman to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds, with a top speed of 185km/h.
For the Australian market, the Tasman will feature a 210PS 2.2-liter diesel engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission, producing 441Nm of torque. This diesel engine achieves 0-100km/h in 10.4 seconds, with the same top speed. In regions like the Middle East and Africa, customers can choose between the 2.5-liter petrol engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and the 2.2-liter diesel engine, which offers options for both eight-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmissions, depending on the specific market.
An optimized composite bush structure for mounting the body to the frame chassis enhances rigidity, body control, stability, and ride comfort. The double wishbone front suspension is designed to improve handling in diverse conditions. The rear suspension features a rigid axle with leaf springs for optimal load-carrying capability and robustness, incorporating vertically mounted shock absorbers for improved damping and control, even under extreme suspension travel.
Kia’s Frequency Selective Sensitive Damper Control (SDC) and Hydraulic Rebound Stop technology further enhance ride quality by minimizing cabin vibration and improving body control and comfort, especially on rough terrains. This advanced suspension technology ensures that the Kia Tasman delivers a refined and comfortable driving experience, whether on paved roads or challenging off-road trails.
Pickup-Specific Features: Engineered for Durability and Capability
The Kia Tasman is equipped with features specifically designed to meet the demands of pickup truck users, ensuring reliability and performance in challenging conditions. To protect the engine when traversing water, the air intake is positioned inside the fender, providing a water fording capability of up to 800mm at 7km/h. Additional water ingress prevention measures, such as waterproof connectors for selected interior parts, further protect critical components, ensuring durability in wet environments.
State-of-the-art all-terrain drivetrain technology has been rigorously tested in diverse locations, from the snowy landscapes of Sweden to the deserts of Australia and the UAE, and steep inclines in the US and Korea. Both the X-Line and X-Pro models come standard with all-wheel-drive, which is optional on the base model. The AWD system automatically adapts to provide optimal traction on various surfaces and offers ECO, Smart, and Sport driving modes, with terrain modes available depending on the market.
The X-Pro model includes an additional Rock mode for enhanced performance on mountainous terrains. In the Middle East and Africa, Desert, Mud, Snow, and Rock modes are available on all-wheel-drive variants. In Australia and other general markets, AWD variants feature Sand, Mud, Snow, and Rock modes. The X-Pro variant also features an automatically engaging rear Electronic Locking Differential (e-LD) and X-Trek mode. X-Trek mode maintains low-speed off-road driving without manual acceleration or braking, ensuring smooth navigation through rough terrain. The e-LD in the rear differential enhances adaptability and control in off-road scenarios.
Kia’s Ground View Monitor (GVM) enhances driver confidence in challenging off-road situations. Using the Kia Tasman’s cameras and infotainment screens, GVM provides a view of the ground level, aiding precise maneuvering in tight spots.
Practicality: A Workhorse Ready for Any Task
Kia has prioritized practicality in the Tasman’s design to support small business owners, farmers, and those working in outdoor environments. Standard features include corner steps for easy access to the illuminated load bed. Optional features enhance usability further, such as a power outlet (240 volts in Australia, 220 volts elsewhere) for tools and laptops, and a sliding cargo floor for convenient loading and unloading. Bed divider capabilities and optional bedside flexibility with a mini table for items like Bluetooth speakers or cups make the Tasman ideal for both work and leisure.
Inside, the folding console table adds versatility, transforming the cabin into a mobile workspace. The Kia Tasman’s load bed measures 1,512 mm long, 1,572 mm wide (1,186 mm between wheel arches), and 540 mm deep, offering a best-in-class cargo capacity of 1,173 liters (VDA). The robust bed structure allows for a maximum payload of 1,145kg in 2WD mode and a towing capacity of 3,500kg, making the Kia Tasman a truly capable work partner.
Advanced Technology: Play Hard, Drive Safe
The Kia Tasman excels not only in ruggedness but also in on-road refinement. The chassis and suspension are tuned for both off-road durability and comfortable on-road handling. Predictable handling and a comfortable ride make the Tasman enjoyable for daily driving and long journeys. Enhanced sound-deadening materials, wind-sealing strips, and noise extractor technology contribute to a quiet, vibration-free cabin, uncommon in the pickup truck segment.
Kia Tasman users benefit from advanced safety technology, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as lane keeping assist, blind spot collision warning, and remote parking assist via Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2). These systems are optimized with trailer profile functionality, allowing trailer specifications to be integrated into the ADAS, automatically adjusting driving characteristics for safer and more stable towing.
World Premiere and Launch Plans
The Kia Tasman has undergone extensive testing, with 1,777 specific tests across over 18,000 evaluation rounds in diverse environments, covering off-road capability, durability, towing, and on-road performance. Proven to meet rigorous global standards, the Kia Tasman made its world premiere at the Jeddah Motor Show in the Middle East, alongside an online unveiling.
Models showcased at the Jeddah Motor Show included the Baseline Double Cab, X-Line Double Cab, X-Pro Double Cab, and a customized X-Pro Double Cab. The Kia Tasman is scheduled to launch first in the Korean domestic market in the first half of 2025, followed by launches in Australia, Africa, and the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia anticipated to be a key market.
| Kia Tasman Specifications |
|---|
| Trim |
| Overlength |
| Width |
| Height(incl. roof rack) |
| Wheelbase |
| Ground clearance |
| 2WD |
| 4WD |
| Engine type |
| 6MT |
| Gasoline Theta 3 |
| Diesel New R |
| Fuel efficiency |
| Fuel tank capacity |
| Tire |
| Specializedfeatures |
| Specialized control |
| Terrain mode |
| Wading performance |
| Towing capacity |
| Load capacity |
| Payload capacity |
| Convenience features |
| Bed convenience |
| Towing ADAS features |
| Other convenience functions |
[1] Accessories will be grouped into packages, and availability may vary by region.
