2025 Kia Tasman revealed: Everything you need to know about the new HiLux, Ranger rival

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

2025 Kia Tasman revealed: Everything you need to know about the new HiLux, Ranger rival

The Kia Tasman has made its world debut – simultaneously at the Jeddah motor show in Saudi Arabia and in Hobart, Tasmania – giving us our first full look at the Korean brand’s first rival for the top-selling

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Kia says it’ll launch the Tasman in its domestic market during the first half of 2025, before subsequently introducing it in regions like Australia, ******* and the Middle East.

While it looks more like a

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

than its more traditional rivals thanks to a boxy design and chunky fender flares, it more closely resembles the likes of the HiLux and Ranger on its spec sheet.

If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings.

To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

Kia has only revealed dual-cab pickup and cab-chassis variants of the Tasman thus far, but says it will offer single-cab configurations further down the line.

The company will offer the Tasman in base, X-Line and X-Pro variants, though local pricing and specifications won’t be announced until closer to its local launch.

100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

.

Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpertDrivetrains

The Kia Tasman will be produced with two engines: one petrol and one diesel, though only the latter – referred to as the Diesel New R – is earmarked for Australia.

While that power figure stacks up well alongside the four-cylinder Ford Ranger BiTurbo (154kW) and Toyota HiLux (150kW), the torque figure falls below those popular utes (500Nm each) as well as the 3.0-litre

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

and

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

(450Nm), and the

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

(470Nm).

It’ll match all of those for towing, however, with a braked tow capacity of 3500kg.

Chassis and Capability

The Tasman features double-wishbone front suspension but a live rear axle with leaf springs, again like much of its competition.

Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert

Front and rear suspension feature Kia’s frequency selective Sensitive Damper Control (SDC) and Hydraulic Rebound Stop technology, aimed at reducing vibration; Kia also says the vertically mounted shock absorbers ensure more effective damping and ride control.

Kia says the four-wheel drive system “switches automatically to the configuration required to provide optimum traction”. It can be toggled between 2H, 4A, 4H and 4L modes.

Unlike the base Tasman, the X-Line and X-Pro will come standard with four-wheel drive with selectable Eco, Smart, Sand, Mud, Snow and (in the X-Pro) Rock modes; in the Middle East and ******* there’s also a specific Desert drive mode.

The X-Pro has 252mm of ground clearance, up 28mm on the X-Line, and rides on 17-inch gloss-****** wheels with all-terrain tyres instead of 18s with highway terrain tyres.

The more off-road-oriented Tasman also features an automatically engaging electronic locking rear differential, as well as an X-Trek mode that can maintain a low speed off-road without the need for the driver to touch the pedals.

Kia will also offer a Ground View Monitor to give drivers a better view of, well, the ground.

Dimensions

Here’s how the Tasman measures up:

Kia says the Tasman has a wading depth of 800mm at speeds of up to 7km/h, with the company also using waterproof connectors for selected interior parts.

Tub

Here’s how the tub measures up:

Down back, there are standard corner steps as well as a power outlet (rated at 240v in Australia) and a sliding cargo floor.

Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert

Kia also says the Tasman has optional bedside flexibility, with a mini table for items such as a Bluetooth speaker or cup.

The company will offer four bed accessory configurations: Single Decker, Double Decker, Sports Bar, and Ladder Rack.

The Single Decker configuration features a canopy and butterfly doors for easy access, plus a roof rack for a rooftop tent, while the Double Decker features a sliding tonneau cover.

Kia will also offer a total of 13 accessory products, including two types of side steps and beadlock-style wheels.

Interior

Inside, there’s a similarly rugged look to the exterior.

Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert

There’s a widescreen assembly incorporating a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 5.0-inch climate display, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

There’s a honeycomb pattern to the air vents, while the centre stack and console have a minimalist look but with an array of physical buttons.

Kia has tried to make the Tasman’s interior as user-friendly as possible with various clever features like a large folding console table, storage bins under the rear seats with 33L of storage capacity, and dual wireless charging pads.

The company also boasts the Tasman has best-in-segment headroom, shoulder room and second-row legroom, with the rear seats also reclining by between 22 and 30 degrees.

There are also various sustainable finishes such as bio-plastic trim on the dashboard, carpeting made from recycled **** material, and upholstery made from a combination of this and bio-PU synthetic leather.

Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpertCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpertCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpertCamera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert

The interior can be had in five colourways:

Onyx ******/Medium GreyEspresso Brown/Onyx BlackDeep Green/Medium GreyOnyx ******/Medium Grey (X-Line and X-Pro)Deep Green/Terracotta Brown (X-Line and X-Pro)

An eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is optional.

Kia will offer the Tasman with a range of active safety and driver assist features, including lane-keep assist, ******-spot monitoring, and Highway Driving Assist 2 which combines adaptive cruise and lane centring features.

It’ll also be offered with Kia’s Remote Smart Park Assist, allowing you to move the vehicle in and out of a parking space using the key fob.

Design

Kia says the Tasman has a “basic, honest form” that doesn’t rely on “the oversized styling that has come to dominate the pickup segment”, with particularly upright glass front and rear.

Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert

It features an expansive grille intended to visually emphasise the ute’s width, with a version of Kia’s Tiger Face and vertically oriented lighting.

A total of nine colours will be available. These are:

Clear WhiteSnow Pearl WhiteSteel GreyInterstellar GreyAurora ****** PearlCityscape GreenRunway RedTan BeigeDenim Blue

The last two are new to Kia’s colour palette.

Pricing for the Kia Tasman is yet to be announced, but expect it to be competitive with Australia’s most popular utes. You can also expect Kia’s first ute to come with the Korean brand’s seven-year warranty and capped-price service plan.

Click an image to view the full gallery.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Kia #Tasman #revealed #HiLux #Ranger #rival

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up