Kia has finally unveiled their new pick-up-truck and it is definitely a thing to look at. The design is quite quirky, some people like, some don’t but we are loving the alien-ish looks a lot. It looks directly out of a sci-fi game and wouldn’t seem out of place in Masterchief’s garage.
The new vehicle will neither go to the US or come to India, but it will be rivaling the likes of the Toyota Hilux and the Ford Ranger in markets like Australia, Korea and the Middle East. Here is everything you need to know about the new Kia Tasman.
2025 Kia Tasman: Exterior Design
The Kia Tasman is definitely a departure from regular truck design. Most new trucks are unimaginative when it comes to design and while this is not a pretty fascia, it definitely is distinctive. We love the design, it looks straight out of some sci-fi space odyssey game and wouldn’t look out of place in a warzone. It is very boxy to look at. The front features a vertically stacked grille complemented by vertically stacked headlights. The front bumper looks quite purposeful as well. The hood also features a black strip element which is interesting.
The sides are boxy again but simpler to the front. It features 5-spoke wheels which are simple yet have their distinct design. The door-handles are quite chunky and so are the view mirrors and the roof rails. The black cladding extends across the whole underside of the vehicle and the fenders stand out out of the body giving it a wide-body look.
The rear is inoffensive, the taillights are interesting but there is not much to look at the rear. Its a simple bed with the “KIA” logo stamped at the back.
2025 Kia Tasman: Interior Design
The interior of the vehicle takes a more sensible approach. We get two large screens and one small screen dominating the dashboard. The digital instrument cluster is a 12.3-inch unit. In the middle is a 5-inch display which which has other functions and then you get th 12.3-inch infotainment screen which is standard Hyundai-Kia affair. As far as switchgear goes, there are real switches for the climate control but the infotainment has some touch sensitive buttons but at least they are out of the screen.
The interior has class-leading headroom, shoulder room and second-row legroom as per Kia. You can also recline the rear seats by around 8 degrees and one can also lift the rear seats to get access to more storage. Other features include two wireless charging pads, a folding table on the console and a Harmon Kardon premium sound system.
2024 Kia Tasman: Drivetrain and Mechanicals
The 2024 Kia Tasman is not a monocoque chassis as we assumed and instead is a proper body-on-frame truck which is brilliant news for truck enthusiasts and off-road fanatics. It will get a proper four-wheel-drive system as well with low-range and a rear locking differential which should make it quite capable off-road.
In terms of the engines, it will get a 2.2L diesel engine which produces 207 bhp and 440 Nm of torque. There will also be a 2.5L turbo petrol engine which produces 277 bhp and 421 Nm of torque. Transmission options will include either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed torque converter automatic. The engine and transmission configuration will depend on the region that the vehicle is sold. The Korean market will get the petrol engine while the diesel engine will be the only option in the Australian markets.
It will have a 80L fuel tank capacity and a payload capacity varying between 1,046 kgs to 1,195 kgs depending on the version. It can tow a maximum of 3.5 tons.
Kia will offer four body styles. There will be the dual-cab ute, single-cab ute, the single-cab pick-up and the dual-cab pickup. Kia will also offer a lot of accessories from day 1, which will include different wheels, illuminated bed, bed canopy, a roll bar, a sliding tonneau cover or a roof rack.
2025 Kia Tasman: Launch And Pricing
We don’t have pricing for the Tasman yet but Kia will launch the truck in the first half of 2025 after which it will be available in Australian, African and Middle Eastern markets. Kia has not yet planned to launch this vehicle in the American markets neither will it set foot in India.
