Although the chances are slim, the upcoming diesel-powered Tasman would have been a blessing for our untapped compact truck segment.
Kia’s first utility truck, the upcoming Tasman has got plenty of challenges that it would need to crawl over. Old-timers like the indestructible Toyota Tundra and the Mighty Ranger.
Kia isn't known to half-ass stuff, their products like EV6 and Telluride are pretty much one-of-a-kind in the market due to their unparalleled value for money and a laundry list of standard features.
Kia has conducted over 18,000 tests on the upcoming Tasman to get as close to the Hilux level of reliability as it can get. After watching all six of the episodes regarding the Kia Tasman, here is my take on the Austrailia-bound truck.
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The Kia Tasman will be able to crawl over 40 degrees of steep incline thanks to a beefy suspension setup and more than adequate ground clearance. I also noticed the test driver indicating that he has turned on the “4WD High”, meaning there will also be a transfer case that can be manually controlled, another testament to its off-road chops.
Kia also conducted a wading test and a sand-dune test which looks like they went remarkably well. It also confirmed in the latest episode that the truck will be based on the body on the frame platform.
As far as the engine of Tasman goes, Its Turbocharged exhaust symphony was clearly audible in the video. It sounded like a small displacement engine powered by either gas or diesel.
Certainly, Kia does not want Tasman to be just another ute. It team is putting a lot of R&D and passion into making Tasman an adventure-prone go-anywhere companion, much like the Ram TRX and Ford Tremor
Not much else is known about the 2025 Kia Tasman, but all will be revealed in a week when it officially launches in Saudi Arabia.
