Kia has revealed the asking price for its highly anticipated Tasman pickup in its home market of South Korea, offering a glimpse of the value UK buyers will be missing out on.

Kia is advertising a starting price of 37.5 million won in South Korea for the entry-level Tasman Dynamic 4×2 double cab, equivalent to around £19,970 at current exchange rates. The mid-spec Tasman Extreme comes in at 51.2 million won (£27,270), and the flagship X-Pro is priced at 56 million won (£29,820).

While we won’t be getting Kia’s pickup in the UK — Kia is entering the UK’s commercial vehicle market but is focusing on all-electric models like the new PV5 van — it’s interesting to see how the Tasman stacks up against the established players here.

Kia Tasman pickup price tag revealed

The Tasman rivals the likes of the Ford Ranger, offering the same 3,500kg towing limits, broadly similar one-tonne cargo capacity, and similar off-road performance.

A Ford Ranger Wildtrak X with a 2.0-litre diesel engine is £42,350, or 42% more than a broadly similar Tasman, while a base-spec Ford Ranger XL, in double cab form, is priced at £29,275, around 47% more than an equivalent Tasman model.

Isuzu’s recently updated D-Max workhorse starts from £30,505 in double-cab form, rising to £38,905 for the top-of-the-range V-Cross. However, the D-Max’s 1.9-litre diesel engine provides 163hp and 360Nm of torque, which is some way behind the Tasman’s 209hp and 441Nm from its 2.2-litre diesel unit.

The Tasman made its debut at the Jeddah Motor Show last year and will have a global rollout starting in July 2025. Australia, Korea and the Middle East will lead the way, with other territories following. While it’s known that the UK will miss out, it’s surprising to learn that the USA will also pass on the Tasman.

As much as we would like another competitor in the pickup market, it looks like the Tasman will remain an overseas curiosity for UK pickup fans.

Phil Huff
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