Kia officials have confirmed that while the new 2025 Tasman will be offered in the Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia, the Korean carmaker’s primary focus for its first ute will be the Australian market.
2025 Kia Tasman prototype
Much of the Tasman’s development has taken place in Australia, and it’s also been named after the Tasman Sea, which sits between Australia and New Zealand. Kia says the 2025 Tasman will rival the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max when it arrives next year, which are the three most popular new vehicles in the country.
Australia is a market with a voracious appetite for utes, however Kia admits that convincing buyers to take a chance on an all-new, unproven model will be no easy feat. That’s why Kia is targeting annual sales of the Tasman in the low 20,000s initially – well below the 63,400 Rangers and 61,100 HiLuxes sold last year.
Kia says it will look to make the Tasman appealing by ensuring it’s tailored to Aussie buyers who typically use their utes for work during the week and then for family duties on the weekend. It will have a 3.5-tonne towing capacity and a payload of at least one tonne.
2025 Kia Tasman design rendering by Kelsonik
In terms of its exterior design, the 2025 Kia Tasman will have a rugged, boxy look with plenty of sharp angles and straight lines. It will also feature a unique vertical LED daytime running light signature similar to the one seen on the Sorento and EV9.
Inside, the cabin is expected to prioritise functionality, catering to the needs of Aussie tradies who like to get their hands dirty both on- and off-road.
No powertrain details have been confirmed for the Tasman just yet, but Kia Australia has confirmed it will offer a diesel engine, with the brand’s 2.2-litre CRDi four-cylinder unit a likely candidate. A larger 3.0-litre turbo-diesel could also be offered.
Kia is also developing a second ute for the global market, including the US. That model will be fully electric, and is expected to be based on the existing E-GMP platform.
Trang Nguyen (Forum.autodaily.vn)