The Kia Tasman’s Avant-Garde Design: A Love-It-Or-Hate-It Affair

Kia’s exterior design director recently acknowledged that the 2D images of the vehicle may not capture its appeal as effectively as seeing it in person. It seems that this pickup truck needs more time to win over customers.

However, the marketing director countered that many customers have changed their minds about the Kia Tasman once they see it in the showroom.

In late October, Kia officially unveiled the Tasman, a mid-size pickup truck. This marks a significant shift for the South Korean brand as it enters the pickup truck segment, which has long been dominated by American and Japanese automakers.

The Kia Tasman comes in three variants: Standard, X-Line for urban environments, and X-Pro for off-road capabilities. It is offered with two cabin styles: a single cab optimized for cargo and a double cab for regular commuting and leisure travel.

Since its reveal, the Kia Tasman has sparked discussions due to its polarizing exterior design. Kia has taken a fresh approach to aesthetics, breaking free from the familiar design language that has reigned in the pickup truck segment for decades.

The front end features a bold grille with Kia’s signature “tiger nose” design, paired with a square, raised front bumper. Meanwhile, the Starmap headlamps are positioned on either side, connecting to the front wheel arches. The rear adopts a simpler design with stylized C-shaped taillights on both sides and a central tailgate bearing a large, embossed Kia logo.

While the exterior may divide opinions, the interior has received praise for its simple and well-balanced design, creating an intuitive and easily accessible layout.

The cabin features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 5-inch screen for climate control, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. It also boasts a premium Harman Kardon sound system with eight speakers.

The Kia Tasman pickup truck is lauded for its practicality. It includes a folding table in the central control area, a 33-liter storage compartment under the rear seats, and reclining rear seats. Thanks to its boxy design, Kia confidently claims that the Tasman offers the best-in-class head, shoulder, and legroom for the second-row passengers.

Depending on the market, the Kia Tasman will be offered with different engine options tailored to local preferences. In South Korea, it is equipped with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine producing 277 horsepower. Meanwhile, in Australia, the pickup is powered by a 2.2-liter diesel engine generating 207 horsepower. Both manual and automatic 8-speed transmissions are available.

The Kia Tasman also features various drive modes tailored to different terrains, such as sand, mud, snow, and gravel. The X-Pro off-road variant includes the X-Trek mode, essentially a low-speed cruise control that allows the driver to focus on braking and steering. Additionally, the off-road version is equipped with Ground View Monitor technology, providing a real-time view of the blind spots under the vehicle.

TH (Tuoitrethudo)