2025 Kia Tasman Revealed - Specs, Features, and Release Date
The Kia Tasman ute is one of the most eagerly awaited new vehicles set to arrive in Australia within the next 12 months. It is expected to be unveiled this year and should hit the Australian market in time for the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament. The Tasman will address a gap in Kia's lineup and aims to compete with Mazda and Ford for second place on the VFACTS sales charts.
Similar to the popular Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, the Tasman is a body-on-frame utility vehicle with a rugged design. Kia has stated that it aims to challenge the current segment leaders, which means the Tasman will need to offer a 3500 kilogram braked towing capacity and a 1000 kilogram payload on some variants.
However, the Tasman will not feature a six-cylinder engine to compete with high-end versions of the Ranger. Instead, it will launch in Australia with a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Kia has not announced plans to add a six-cylinder engine or hybrid and plug-in hybrid options to the lineup, as most of its competitors are also sold with four-cylinder engines.
Externally, the Tasman will have a distinctive design, as seen in our renders and the camouflaged prototype on which they are based. The interior is expected to be quite luxurious, based on spy photos and recent renders. It will likely feature a version of the dual-screen infotainment system seen across the Kia range, though how it will be differentiated from less rugged SUV models is not yet clear. A retro T-bar shifter and large dials for the four-wheel drive system are also expected.
Our renders indicate that the Tasman will have chunky grab handles on the doors and plenty of leather in high-end GT-Line models. At the rear, there is a distinctive sweep to the window line, which may affect rear visibility.
Although the Tasman will be manufactured in South Korea, Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith has emphasized the important role the Australian division played in ensuring the vehicle meets the needs of the local market. He stated, "The team at Kia Australia has been working closely with the Research and Development team at headquarters to develop the Tasman, a vehicle we believe will meet the needs of our unique market, so it’s very rewarding that it has been granted an Australian-inspired name befitting its personality."
Kia is targeting the Tasman to account for 10 percent of Australia’s light commercial vehicle sales. In 2023, nearly 240,000 utility vehicles were sold in Australia out of the 1.2 million new vehicle sales recorded during the year.
Disclaimer:
The information in this video is based on topics that are being explored in various media. We also present illustrations that we generated from AI technology. The purpose of this video is to share the information we know. We sincerely hope you find our information useful.
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