Kia has stepped into the pickup truck market with the debut of the Kia Tasman, five years after news of the plan first broke.
Designed to meet rising global (but not European) demand for vehicles that suit both work and recreational needs, Kia’s first-ever pickup was finally unveiled in production form at the Jeddah Motor Show
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Kia Tasman: Design
Kia’s design philosophy for the Tasman aims to create a clean and confident look that stands apart from the heavy, oversized approach common in pickups. The truck’s front end is marked by Kia’s “Tiger Face” grille, framed by distinctive, vertically oriented headlights. With hints of the Kia EV9 SUV, the design emphasises the truck’s width with simple lines that signal both strength and utility.
For those drawn to off-roading, the Tasman X-Pro trim offers ground clearance increased by 28mm to 252mm for enhanced off-road performance, paired with 17-inch alloy wheels clad with all-terrain tyres.
The Tasman’s form also reflects Kia’s aim to cater to business needs. With its easy-to-load bed and customisable accessory options, it’s designed to help drivers work more efficiently.
Kia Tasman: Interior
The Tasman’s cab — available in single- or double-cab variants — treads a fine line between rugged functionality and modern digital-first design. The cabin’s panoramic widescreen display offers a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel for the driver, a central 5.0-inch information screen, and an additional 12.3-inch infotainment display, giving both driver and passenger access to controls. Standard tech includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, with an optional eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system for those who want a premium audio experience.
Storage solutions are designed for both convenience and practicality. The Tasman includes hidden storage compartments beneath the rear seats and a sizeable foldable console table, ideal for users needing a mobile workspace. It’ll also work as a handy table for snacks on a stop during a family road trip.
The Tasman’s interior promises to be spacious, with Kia claiming class-leading headroom, shoulder room, and rear legroom to accommodate up to five passengers comfortably. Rear seats recline between 22 and 30 degrees, making it a versatile space for passengers or cargo. Kia’s interior design includes rugged details, like the honeycomb-patterned air vents, that emphasise both functionality and durability.
Despite its bulk, the Kia has made some effort to ensure the Tasman meets its sustainability targets. The cab includes eco-friendly materials, including bio-plastics, seats made with recycled PET fabrics and bio-based synthetic leather, and BTX-free paint.
Kia Tasman: Powertrains
Kia is offering the Tasman with different engine options in different territories, with both petrol and diesel engines available depending on the market. In Korea, the Tasman is launching with a 2.5-litre petrol engine, producing 281hp and delivering 421Nm of torque — enough to propel the pickup from standstill to 62mph in 8.5 seconds, with a top speed of 115mph, although at the expense of 22.6mpg fuel economy.
The Australian market will also have the option of a 2.2-litre diesel engine that can provide 210hp, with a work-friendly 441Nm of torque on tap. Geared more towards fuel economy (official figures suggest 37.2mpg) and hauling cargo, it still achieves a 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds.
Each engine is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Kia Tasman: Off-Road Ready
Built on a sturdy body-on-frame platform, the Tasman has been engineered to handle all terrains, even facing more than 1,750 tests over 18,000 gruelling evaluations to ensure its capabilities.
Testing has been carried out across the world, including the snowy tundra of Sweden, deserts in the Australian outback and the Al Qudra in UAE, and the mountain regions of the US and Korea.
The X-Line and X-Pro trims are fitted with all-wheel drive, allowing drivers to switch between different terrain modes based on conditions, including Rock, Sand, Mud, and Snow. Intriguingly, Middle East and Africa-bound vehicles will also get a Desert mode, although there’s no explanation of how this differs from the Sand mode.
The X-Pro model also includes an additional Rock mode specifically designed for mountainous regions. An Electronic Locking Differential (e-LD) in the rear of the X-Pro ensures improved control and traction in challenging off-road conditions. Another helpful addition is the Ground View Monitor, which lets drivers view the ground below the vehicle through the infotainment screen, giving them a clear picture of nearby obstacles on narrow trails.
Kia’s engineers have also designed the Tasman for class-leading water fording; the air intake is positioned to allow the Tasman to wade through water up to 800mm deep at speeds of 5mph.
Kia Tasman: Practicality
The important part of the pickup is the load box at the back, and Kia has ensured that the Tasman competes with its rivals. At 1,512 mm long, it’s longer than the back of an Isuzu D-Max but falls short of the Toyota Hilux, Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger. However, Kia claims it has a best-in-class cargo volume of 1,173 litres.
Payload limits are over a tonne on every model, reaching as high as 1,195kg. There’s also a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes, figures that all suit UK market demands.
The Tasman’s load bed includes practical touches like corner steps and a 240-volt power outlet for charging tools or electronics. As options, a sliding cargo floor and adjustable load dividers will also be available.
Kia will also produce accessories, including the Single Decker featuring a canopy with butterfly doors and a rooftop rack, and the Double Decker, equipped with a sliding tonneau cover. A sports bar and ladder rack will also be available.
A single-cab model with an extended load bed will also be available.
Kia Tasman: Safety Tech
The Tasman includes Kia’s latest driver assistance technology. Features like lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warnings, and Highway Driving Assist 2 offer added safety and ease for the driver. The Tasman’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) also has a feature to assist with towing by adapting driving characteristics to maintain stability when a trailer is connected.
Kia Tasman: Pricing and Availability
The Tasman will launch in Korea in 2025, with the pickup then making its way to Australia, Africa, and the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia is expected to be a strong market.
However, despite growing demand for pickups in Europe and the UK — the UK market is about 50,000 sales a year, with EU sales adding another 100,000 — Kia currently has no plans to bring the Tasman to our shores.
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