Who would have thought a dual-cab ute from a mainstream Korean model could be probably the most talked-about new automobile of the 12 months.
The 2025 Kia Tasman is the corporate’s first correct try at a dual-cab ute, aiming to capitalise on the ever-enduring of pickups within the Australian market and different components of the world.
It’s additionally filling a key hole in Kia’s lineup, given what’s actually stopping it from reaching High 3 standing on the Australian gross sales charts is the shortage of a business utility to duke it out with the likes of Toyota, Ford and Mazda.
However come July that’s all about to vary, and Korea made certain it acquired individuals speaking with the design. Find it irresistible or hate it, you possibly can’t accuse the Tasman of being a copycat tackle any of the name-brand utes like some Chinese language competitors.
Additional, Kia’s strategy has been a deal with consolation and flexibility, highlighted by its very SUV-like cabin and localisation of the experience and dealing with setup to tailor it to various Australian tastes.
Forward of the total production-spec market launch within the new monetary 12 months, Kia Australia invited us to strive a handful of pre-production prototypes – of various levels, thoughts you – in flagship X-Professional specification to get an early style on some closed off-road programs earlier than the ultimate spec lands in native sellers.
Is Kia’s polarising dual-cab up for the mammoth job of competing with Australia’s favorite autos? Learn on to search out out.
How does the Kia Tasman evaluate?
View an in depth breakdown of the Kia Tasman towards equally sized autos.
Kia
Tasman
How a lot does the Kia Tasman price?
The Kia Tasman vary will open from $42,990 earlier than on-road prices when the dual-cab vary launches in July, with the flagship X-Professional on check in pre-production type to begin from $74,990 plus on-road prices.
| Mannequin | Value earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 2025 Kia Tasman S 4×2 dual-cab pickup | $42,990 |
| 2025 Kia Tasman S 4×4 dual-cab pickup | $49,990 |
| 2025 Kia Tasman SX 4×4 dual-cab pickup | $54,490 |
| 2025 Kia Tasman SX+ 4×4 dual-cab pickup | $62,390 |
| 2025 Kia Tasman X-Line 4×4 dual-cab pickup | $67,990 |
| 2025 Kia Tasman X-Professional 4×4 dual-cab pickup | $74,990 |
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s the Kia Tasman like on the within?
For those who thought the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok have been SUV-like inside, the Tasman feels positively luxurious.
Whereas the brown inside of a number of the pre-production vehicles sadly gained’t be making it to the launch vary – please hold forth within the feedback in order for you it right here – the inside of the Tasman distinguishes itself from different Kia fashions when it comes to general design although retains a variety of components that we all know and love from the model’s passenger autos.
There’s a stunning quantity of soft-touch supplies littered all through, properly contrasted with the brown components of the Korean-market colourway. A extra demure blackish-grey cabin was additionally current, and whereas it’s nowhere close to as visually stimulating, our feedback across the craftsmanship and really feel stay.
X-Professional fashions will get a cool quilted leather-based trim full with electrical entrance seat adjustment and reminiscence features for the motive force, heating and air flow for the entrance pews in addition to heated outer rear seats, along with a sunroof. Actually, you could possibly be in a boxy Kia SUV for those who didn’t know what it appeared like from the skin.
Kia’s linked automobile Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) additionally options, with conjoined 12.3-inch widescreens incorporating the digital driver’s cluster and touchscreen infotainment shows. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto options throughout the vary, with the SX and up including native satellite tv for pc navigation.
All Tasmans will function the Kia Join suite of net-based providers too, together with distant features managed through a smartphone utility, in addition to linked navigation for appropriate techniques.
The upright fascia and straight strains of the cabin give an actual impression of width and area, and there are cool stitching and trim particulars combined in. The mesh-effect vent therapy additionally seems to be fairly cool.
Storage is sweet too, with a twin charging tray for smartphones in addition to huge cubbies dotted all through. Tradies and households shouldn’t have a lot hassle stowing their odds and ends.
One other factor to notice is the overall feeling of high quality. This doesn’t really feel like a commercial-spec cabin, not less than on this grade, and all of the touchpoints and switchgear feels strong.
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Abroad mannequin proven -
Abroad mannequin proven
We don’t have photographs of an Australian-spec rear seat, however there’s good area in there for adults even for those who squeeze three throughout. Naturally, we didn’t spend an entire lot of time again there to get a correct really feel.
There was no time to trial its tub or towing talents both, so we’ll have to attend till the total manufacturing launch for that. See the under desk for key specs.
| Dimensions | Kia Tasman |
|---|---|
| Size | 5410mm |
| Width | 1930mm |
| Peak (incl. roof rack) | 1870mm – S, SX, SX+ 1890mm – X-Line 1920mm – X-Professional |
| Wheelbase | 3270mm |
| Floor clearance | 231mm – S 4×2 224mm – S, SX, SX+, X-Line 4×4 252mm – X-Professional 4×4 |
| Payload | 1013-1124kg* |
| Gross automobile mass | 3250kg |
| Gross mixture mass | 6200kg |
| Tub size | 1512mm |
| Tub width | 1572mm 1186mm – between arches |
| Tub depth | 540mm |
| Cargo capability | 1173L – VDA |
*Sub-1000kg payload obtainable to qualify for novated leases
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s underneath the bonnet?
At launch only one powertrain shall be supplied throughout the vary, a 2.2-litre four-cylinder single-turbo diesel.
| Specs | Kia Tasman |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2.2L 4cyl turbo-diesel |
| Energy | 154kW |
| Torque | 440Nm |
| Transmission | 8-speed auto |
| Drive kind | 4-wheel drive |
| Weight | 2126-2237kg |
| Gas economic system (claimed) | TBC |
| Gas tank capability | TBC |
| Braked towing capability | 3500kg |
| Unbraked towing capability | 750kg |
As beforehand reported, native variations of the Tasman are homologated to older Euro 5 requirements in keeping with Australian mandates, and due to this fact don’t function AdBlue injection.
Kia Australia says the Tasman will possible stay Euro 5-compliant till the Euro 6d emissions commonplace is remitted in Australia throughout the trade from round 2028 – and the Euro 6-compliant 2.2-litre diesel with AdBlue is already supplied in different abroad markets.
Additional, the two.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol obtainable in Korean fashions, which develops a wholesome 207kW/421Nm, is off the playing cards for the Australian market.
Hybrid and ‘electrified’ powertrains are “underneath examine” based on the native product staff, although further element isn’t official simply but.
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How does the Kia Tasman drive?
I’ll preface this once more with the actual fact we spent a restricted time driving the pre-production Tasman X-Professional on a few quick off-road programs on the Glenworth Valley location.
Over two days we got quick stints behind the wheel of an “X-Professional-ish” pre-production automobile on a few totally different off-road actions. Kia’s staff mentioned this automobile was “round 90 per cent” production-spec.
The primary exercise was somewhat impediment together with a water crossing, muddy trails and a few offset moguls. Our time within the driver’s seat was fairly fuss free, although some journalists struggled for traction out of muddy and watery dips after successive runs noticed the all-terrain tyres get somewhat mud-plugged.
Kia has geared up the Tasman with an on-demand four-wheel drive system with 4A mode, which suggests the Tasman’s on-demand know-how will activate the rear axle when it detects slip.
Whereas this type of all-wheel drive system appears fairly frequent, a variety of dual-cab utes – particularly the four-cylinder ones – have selectable four-wheel drive with commonplace 2H (rear-wheel drive) mode for regular driving.
For the overall path work over gravel and dirt we stored the Tasman in its 4A mode, letting the system do the work. As soon as we acquired to the ruts and moguls, we pulled up and used the rotary selector dial to have interaction 4L – or 4-Low.
These obstacles gave us a possibility to strive the Floor View Monitor digicam system that makes use of the {surround} and front-facing cameras to sew collectively a see-through chassis feed, with graphics and animations for the entrance wheels so you recognize the place to position the automobile forward of an impediment.
Now this isn’t ground-breaking stuff, and has been obtainable in rival 4WDs for a while, however Kia’s digicam high quality and digital graphics are actually crisp and simple to view on the transfer.
The off-road pages within the infotainment system are additionally useful. You will get a real-time feed of a visualisation of your Tasman X-Professional with readouts for pitch and roll, torque distribution and wheel articulation. It animates the automobile in movement and steering angles, in addition to exhibiting oil stress, battery voltage, and tyre pressures.
In equity this primary train wasn’t designed to essentially check the Tasman at its limits, however it was in all probability as gnarly as most individuals heading up a camp path will possible go.
The combo of circumstances and surfaces additionally allowed us to get a really feel of how the Tasman handles off-road terrain as regards to traction, steering and noise intrusion.
From the get go I observed how insulated the Tasman’s cabin is. The four-cylinder diesel sounds fairly loud and rattly on the skin however is impressively suppressed within the cockpit.
Likewise, noise from the street floor is properly stored at bay and the overall rigidity feels excellent too – you don’t get the scuttling noise from the separate cabin and tub like a variety of different utes expertise on the tough stuff.
The steering may be very mild however comparatively direct and communicative for any such automobile, although I discovered the pre-production automobile was somewhat imprecise about centre which meant a variety of mini-corrections when driving on the off-road programs.
Kia Australia’s representatives instructed me they’re making use of one other revision to the steering tune to make sure higher on-centre really feel, so it’ll be attention-grabbing to drive the ultimate manufacturing spec off-road.
On day two we tackled a fairly rocky and rutted hillclimb, this time to raised show the 4WD system’s capabilities in addition to the X-Trek function which is exclusive amongst the dual-cab ute section.
The X-Professional comes with an electronically-locking rear differential with in-cabin change, whereas the broader vary will get a reactive limited-slip rear differential.
We really didn’t use the diff lock function within the X-Professional prototype, although throughout the product presentation we have been proven visible representations of how the proactive rear torque break up advantages in low-grip circumstances. Mainly, you get smoother and extra predictable progress by means of higher traction and management.
The X-Trek perform distinctive to the X-Professional is just like the Crawl Mode you’ll discover in a Toyota LandCruiser. Consider it as a hill-ascent management (slightly than the frequent hill descent management) that enables the automobile to keep up a gentle velocity navigating uphill and rocky climbs with out driver enter through the throttle.
It takes a fast change into 4L after which urgent the labelled change, and off you go. You may modify the velocity in 5 levels, and significantly on rougher terrain avoids you approaching and off the throttle over rocks and bumps, sustaining constant throttle enter and velocity by means of obstacles which is preferable in these sorts of eventualities.
The Floor View Monitor additionally got here in useful right here giving good ahead visibility over crests, given how upright and bluff the Tasman’s face and bonnet is, and there was higher variance within the readouts to the off-road menus.
It might be lengthy however the Tasman solely scraped its bum on the sharpest of dips, partly helped by the X-Professional’s lofty 252mm operating clearance and 26.2-degree departure angle. Kia quotes strategy and rampover angles of 32.2 and 25.8 levels, respectively.
For reference, a Ford Ranger Wildtrak Bi-Turbo quotes 234mm of unladen floor clearance, in addition to strategy, departure and rampover angles of 30/23/21 levels respectively.
If I used to be to say one essential gripe it was on the odd event the Tasman’s eight-speed auto would get caught between gears across the 12-15km/h mark, usually shifting up and letting revs drop too low after which shifting down.
In each situations this resulted in a lurching sensation with an excessive amount of throttle utility, which was annoying and will be unnerving for those who’re scaling a slipper and rocky climb. You may take management through the paddles for those who want, although.
| Off-road dimensions | Kia Tasman X-Professional |
|---|---|
| Monitor entrance and rear | – |
| Floor clearance | 252mm |
| Method angle | 32.2 levels |
| Departure angle | 26.2 levels |
| Ramp breakover angle | 25.8 levels |
| Wading depth | – |
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The X-Professional will sit atop a five-trim vary in Australia – learn our full worth and specs article right here.
Tasman S gear highlights:
- 17-inch black metal wheels
- LED headlights
- Daytime operating lights
- Rear bumper steps
- Tailgate with ‘raise help’
- Good key with push-button begin
- Material inside upholstery
- Twin-zone local weather management
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 6-speaker sound system
- Beneath-seat second-row storage
- Mechanical rear differential lock (4×4)
Tasman SX provides:
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Energy-folding facet mirrors
- Terrain Modes
- First-row security energy window
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
Tasman SX+ provides:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- LED fog lights
- Bedliner
- 240V tub outlet
- Material, leatherette upholstery
- Wi-fi smartphone charger
- Ambient temper lighting
- Second-row air vents
- 240V centre console outlet
Tasman X-Line provides:
- LED projector headlights
- Roof rails
- Rear wheel-arch flare storage system
- Not obtainable on Tan Beige and Clear White examples
- Synthetic leather-based upholstery
- Heated entrance seats
- 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Column shifter and shifter paddles
- Twin wi-fi smartphone charger
- Second-row armrest
- Privateness glass
- Distant smart-park help
Tasman X-Professional provides:
- 17-inch black alloy wheels
- Gas tank underbody safety
- Digital locking differential
- X-Trek Mode
- Terrain Modes
- Floor view monitor
- Off-road sprint info
- Steering path, steering angle, oil degree
- Heated steering wheel
- Ventilated first-row seats
- Heated second-row seats
- Harman Kardon premium audio
- Sunroof
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Colors
The Tasman will be ordered in a selection of eight exterior paint colors relying on variant.
Customary: $NCO
- Clear White – incl. body-colour flares
Premium: $700
- Metal Gray
- Interstellar Grey
- Aurora Black Pearl
- Tan Beige – incl. body-colour flares
- Denim Blue
- Cityscape Inexperienced
- Runway Crimson
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Is the Kia Tasman protected?
The Kia Tasman is as but unrated by ANCAP, although Kia Australia anticipates a score shall be introduced in August.
Kia has engineered two distinct entrance bumper designs for the Tasman, one being extra road-focused for the core vary and the opposite extra off-road pleasant for the X-Line and X-Professional fashions.
Because of this, Kia Australia is aiming for a five-star ANCAP security score from S by means of SX+ grades, with the X-Line and X-Professional set to be unrated regardless.
Customary security gear contains:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise management
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
- Lane-centring help
- Lane-keep help
- Rear-view digicam
- Trailer sway management
- Built-in trailer brake controller
SX and above add Kia’s Freeway Driving Help system and navigation-based adaptive cruise management.
The X-Line and above are geared up with parking collision avoidance help, a surround-view digicam and blind-spot cameras.
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How a lot does the Kia Tasman price to run?
As the broader Kia Australia lineup, the Tasman shall be lined by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.
| Servicing and Guarantee | Kia Tasman |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 7 years, limitless kilometres |
| Service intervals | TBC |
| Capped-price servicing | 7 years |
| Complete capped-price service price | TBC |
Finer particulars like servicing intervals and capped-price service pricing shall be introduced nearer to launch.
To see how the Kia Tasman strains up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Tasman
It’s early days, however it appears the Tasman has been topic to a really vigorous improvement course of to make sure it’s as aggressive as it may be in Australia’s ever-popular dual-cab ute section.
First impressions of the X-Professional are strong, succesful specs and 4WD gear bolstered by an opulent, quiet cabin. Nonetheless, we have to strive it on the black stuff and whereas towing to flesh out the way it compares with key rivals.
I’m additionally a fan of the seems to be. Positive it’s not classically good-looking, however Kia’s dual-cab forges its personal path with its distinctive and imposing design, and there are some cool colors obtainable to offset the distinction cladding – I’d really desire the gray fenders on the Tan Beige paint, personally.
However this was only a palette cleanser and fast first style of Korea’s new dual-cab. I’ll should withhold full impressions – together with on-road and towing evaluation – till the total manufacturing launch in July.
I’m anticipating huge issues, although…
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