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While the US market has a soft spot for pickup trucks, the Kia Tasman is unlikely to be sold there, despite a certain level of interest from Americans.
A Kia Tasman was recently spotted in the US, but the South Korean automaker has no plans to sell this pickup truck stateside. According to Carscoops, the Kia Tasman was discovered by a Reddit user named mmuulin in a Hyundai-Kia parking lot, nestled between the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV9 electric vehicles.
The images suggest that this Kia Tasman is a fully-equipped version, featuring additional accessories such as a sports bar, tonneau cover, and side steps. Carscoops questioned the purpose of shipping the pickup to the US if there were no intentions to sell it there.
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The website reached out to Kia but has not received a response. Some speculate that the Kia Tasman was brought to the California desert for advertising purposes or to conduct final durability tests before customer deliveries begin in other markets.
The exterior design of the Kia Tasman has sparked controversy in the US, with its widely spaced headlights being a particular point of contention for many potential customers. “This is the ugliest pickup truck I’ve ever seen,” commented an owner of a Honda Ridgeline pickup truck with the username SAlovicious.
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Kia is aware of the mixed reactions to the Tasman’s design. In a recent interview with Australian media, the head of Kia Australia acknowledged that customers are warming up to the unique exterior design, especially after seeing the pickup truck in person and having the opportunity to test drive it.
As for why the Kia Tasman won’t be coming to the US, Carscoops attributes it primarily to the 25% “chicken tax” imposed on imported pickup trucks. For Kia to sell the Tasman in the US, the company would need to invest in a local assembly line, which is considered a costly endeavor.
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