Feature article
2025 Kia Tasman Ute
Kia has no ute to compete with the likes of Triton, Ranger and Hilux. But things are changing with the Kia Tasman
Last updated: 11 September 2024
Kia is now well established in New Zealand, a regular among the top five selling car brands here. It has held fourth place for a couple of years now, ahead of its sister brand, Hyundai, though it trails Mitsubishi, Ford and overall leader Toyota. It can’t hope to challenge for a top three spot here in New Zealand however as it lacks commercial vehicles. It has no vans and more crucially, no ute to compete with the likes of Triton, Ranger and Hilux.
But things are about to change in that area with the Kia Tasman due to be unveiled to the world soon. It’s likely the new double cab ute will be revealed to the world in October or November, and will be on sale in New Zealand as early as the middle of 2025.
What do we know about the Kia Tasman?
About the only thing we know for sure about the Tasman ute so far is the overall shape.
Kia has revealed an Australia-inspired camouflage wrap for the Tasman. While it hides the details, the overall shape of the one-tonner is clear to see.
Evidently Kia Tasman takes its moniker from the rugged beauty and pioneering spirit of Tasmania.
Richard Boyd-Dunlop painted the wrap, inspired by “The Path Never Taken” theme. He is an artist with connections to both Australia and New Zealand. The graphics represent a journey taking in the coast and the Outback, hinting at the Tasman’s adventurous spirit.
Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design commented “Our Tasman pick-up truck embodies Kia’s commitment to design and innovation. Artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop crafted an exclusive camouflage design…that depicts a journey and reflects an essence of adventure unique to the Tasman.”
Kia says the adventurous spirit of the Kia Tasman should inspire customers to embark on journeys of discovery and adventure in a vehicle that prioritises reliability and performance. The Tasman’s design should meet customers’ diverse personal needs, 24/7.
The artist said “This design resonates as it evokes my own personal experiences travelling across Australia and the encounters that I had.”
What engine will the Kia Tasman have?
Nothing about the new ute has been confirmed but it’s likely to have a turbodiesel engine under the bonnet, initially anyway.
Kia Australia has confirmed that the powertrain will not be an all-new one, and nor is it going to be a six-cylinder. Hints that the engine will be familiar to Kia owners suggest the 2.2 turbodiesel from Sorento will be the basis. It outputs 148kW and 440Nm in that role.
That would see it compete well with the Mitsubishi Triton (140kW/470Nm), and Nissan Navara (140kW/450Nm), but it is expected Kia may look to increase outputs to better rival the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. The Ford’s 2.0-litre twin-turbo unit produces 154kW/500Nm while the Hilux has a 2.8-litre turbo-diesel with 150kW/500Nm.
Part of the reason the diesel will be shared with other models is that Kia is heading down the road to electrification. There is therefore no further significant investment in diesel development.
Details on actual engine output, transmission, and 4x4 components await release by Kia. It’s understood to ride on a full separate chassis, and more than likely it will offer a braked towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes, along with a payload of circa 1000kg to compete with the rest.
Kia executives have hinted not to expect a V6 option like the Ranger and Amarok offers, while there will also be no electrified powertrains offered at least initially planned. An electric version of the Tasman is planned to launch overseas in some markets as early as 2026.
Heui Won Yang, President of Kia's R&D Division, emphasised the company's innovative bent, stating, "The Kia Tasman represents our unwavering dedication to innovation. Every aspect of our R&D Division's capability has been channelled into creating a vehicle that not only lives up to its title as the first of its kind, but also delivers performance that surpasses expectations."
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