A few weeks after Kia Australia released a rather interesting teaser campaign for its upcoming new ute, speculation about what the Korean brand would call it can now be put to rest. It’s going to be called the Kia Tasman, as many had guessed.
Last year the company trademarked the Tasman name, which is inspired by the Tasman Sea, which sits between Australia and New Zealand, as well as Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who discovered the Australian island of Tasmania. It’s a fitting name for a vehicle that will call Australia one of its most important markets.
The Korean company says the “Tasman” was originally proposed by Kia Australia and chosen from a shortlist of names gathered from various global markets. Kia also notes the Tasman is being “developed to excel in a variety of roles from work and trade through to leisure activities” and is expected to launch in 2025.
Kia’s mid-size ute will compete against other popular utes including the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, and Isuzu D-Max. Styling for the ute will be quite boxy, featuring plenty of sharp angles and straight lines. It will also feature vertical LED daytime running lights, similar to those found on the Sorento and EV9.
Inside, the cabin will focus on functionality, designed to cope with the rough and tumble of the Australian outback.
Specific details about the Tasman’s powertrains are yet to be announced, but Kia Australia has confirmed it will offer a diesel powertrain, which will likely be the brand’s 2.2-litre CRDi four-cylinder unit. A bigger 3.0-litre turbo-diesel could possibly be offered as well.
Kia is also developing a second pickup truck which will be sold globally, including in the USA. That model will be fully electric and is expected to be based on the company’s existing E-GMP platform.
Trang Nguyen (Forum.autodaily.vn)
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