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Daily Telegraph
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Telegraph
2025 Kia Tasman ute review
Don't miss out on the headlines from New Cars. Followed categories will be added to My News. In a divided world, it's a rare and wonderful thing when people on the internet reach a consensus. Unfortunately for Kia, that consensus is its much-awaited ute – the Tasman – is very, very ugly. On any forum, video or article talking about the car, it's the first thing people mention. It's been described as a Lego car, a Ram bought from Temu, a Korean Mahindra, and a half-eaten cabbage. But like every parent of an ugly baby, Kia doesn't see the problem. MORE: First impressions of Kia's Tasman ute The Kia Tasman has divisive styling. Picture: Supplied 'Road presence will dilute the angst surrounding how it looks,' Australian chief executive Damien Meredith said at the launch press conference. They'd better hope so. Kia has big ambitions for the Tasman, they want it to be the fourth best-selling ute in Australia, behind the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and the Isuzu D-Max. To pull that off, they'll need to sell around 20,000 units and outperform the BYD's critically acclaimed plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark. MORE: Why sports stars went into bat for Kia Kia's pick-up borrows its engine from the Carnival and Sorento. Picture: Supplied It's a big ask for a car that's late to the game, entering a crowded market, and made by a brand better known for family-friendly SUVs. To succeed, Kia need to quickly build credibility as a maker of rugged, blokey vehicles. That's why their ads are packed with sporting legends pretending to be tradies. Kia are also heavily promoting the Tasman's origin story: that it's a ute designed specifically for Australian roads and drivers. MORE: Full prices and specifications for the Kia Tasman The Tasman's cabin is practical and impressive. Picture: Supplied But in reality, the Australian team didn't have total free range. The original name of 'Tanami' was scuppered in Korea, and the controversial final design, I'm told, was a captain's call from inside the head office. Internal politics and smashed-crab aesthetics aside, the Tasman is a reasonably competitive, somewhat unimaginative car that stands up to its rivals. There are 10 Tasman variants coming into the market, starting with a paired-down 2x4 single cab chassis. At the top of the line is the 4x4 X-Pro, which is $75,000 before on-road costs. If you're considering any trail driving, this is Kia's most-compelling option. MORE: Kia defends Tasman ute styling The Tasman shines off-road. Picture: Supplied The Tasman is a big car – marginally wider, taller and longer than its Ranger and Hilux rivals, giving it considerable presence on the road. But it's a different story under the bonnet. All variants are powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. That's fairly modest, especially compared to the larger V6 options offered by the likes of Ford and Volkswagen. To Kia's credit, the Tasman doesn't feel particularly underpowered on the road. With an empty tray, it was responsive and comfortable, with enough guts to easily overtake slower cars. While the Tasman was smooth on the highway, it is worth noting the ride was noticeably harder at slower speeds. MORE: The ute war set to erupt Kia worked hard on the Tasman's off-road performance. Picture: Supplied But the X-Pro really shines when it gets off the tarmac. The top-of-the-line Tasman has a full suite of off-road technology, including ground view cameras, terrain options, low-range modes, rear diff-lock, and an 'X-Trek' setting which crawls the car at a slow, constant speed in both drive and reverse. It's the traction control which sets this car apart, though. Even an inexperienced off-roader will have a good chance of managing hostile conditions, thanks to technology which does a lot of the thinking for you. But how many owners are actually going take the Tasman off road? Only about 15-20 per cent, according to Kia's market research. Sophisticated electronics shine on slippery surfaces. Picture: Supplied But, for the people who are more likely to use their utes for shopping trips and school runs, the Tasman is well-suited there, too. The cabin is impressively quiet and comfortable. In the X-Pro, the seats are supportive, heated, and offer generous recline in both the front and rear rows. It also has the kinds of features you'd expect to see in a family sedan, including a large infotainment screen, sunroof, wireless charging dual climate zones, and a heated steering wheel. The back row particularly stands out for its design and ride quality. The Kia Tasman is on sale now. Picture: Supplied It feels much more like a regular passenger vehicle than most dual-cab utes on the market. But this car doesn't answer the fundamental question of whether Australia needs, or can support, another pretty-good diesel ute. It's hard to shake the feeling that the Tasman would have been a hit three or four years ago, but now it might be too little, too late. It's lucky the Tasman does well off-road, because it's facing a big uphill battle. Originally published as 2025 Kia Tasman ute review
News.com.au
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
2025 Kia Tasman ute review
In a divided world, it's a rare and wonderful thing when people on the internet reach a consensus. Unfortunately for Kia, that consensus is its much-awaited ute – the Tasman – is very, very ugly. On any forum, video or article talking about the car, it's the first thing people mention. It's been described as a Lego car, a Ram bought from Temu, a Korean Mahindra, and a half-eaten cabbage. But like every parent of an ugly baby, Kia doesn't see the problem. 'Road presence will dilute the angst surrounding how it looks,' Australian chief executive Damien Meredith said at the launch press conference. They'd better hope so. Kia has big ambitions for the Tasman, they want it to be the fourth best-selling ute in Australia, behind the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and the Isuzu D-Max. To pull that off, they'll need to sell around 20,000 units and outperform the BYD's critically acclaimed plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark. It's a big ask for a car that's late to the game, entering a crowded market, and made by a brand better known for family-friendly SUVs. To succeed, Kia need to quickly build credibility as a maker of rugged, blokey vehicles. That's why their ads are packed with sporting legends pretending to be tradies. Kia are also heavily promoting the Tasman's origin story: that it's a ute designed specifically for Australian roads and drivers. But in reality, the Australian team didn't have total free range. The original name of 'Tanami' was scuppered in Korea, and the controversial final design, I'm told, was a captain's call from inside the head office. Internal politics and smashed-crab aesthetics aside, the Tasman is a reasonably competitive, somewhat unimaginative car that stands up to its rivals. There are 10 Tasman variants coming into the market, starting with a paired-down 2x4 single cab chassis. At the top of the line is the 4x4 X-Pro, which is $75,000 before on-road costs. If you're considering any trail driving, this is Kia's most-compelling option. The Tasman is a big car – marginally wider, taller and longer than its Ranger and Hilux rivals, giving it considerable presence on the road. But it's a different story under the bonnet. All variants are powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. That's fairly modest, especially compared to the larger V6 options offered by the likes of Ford and Volkswagen. To Kia's credit, the Tasman doesn't feel particularly underpowered on the road. With an empty tray, it was responsive and comfortable, with enough guts to easily overtake slower cars. While the Tasman was smooth on the highway, it is worth noting the ride was noticeably harder at slower speeds. But the X-Pro really shines when it gets off the tarmac. The top-of-the-line Tasman has a full suite of off-road technology, including ground view cameras, terrain options, low-range modes, rear diff-lock, and an 'X-Trek' setting which crawls the car at a slow, constant speed in both drive and reverse. It's the traction control which sets this car apart, though. Even an inexperienced off-roader will have a good chance of managing hostile conditions, thanks to technology which does a lot of the thinking for you. But how many owners are actually going take the Tasman off road? Only about 15-20 per cent, according to Kia's market research. But, for the people who are more likely to use their utes for shopping trips and school runs, the Tasman is well-suited there, too. The cabin is impressively quiet and comfortable. In the X-Pro, the seats are supportive, heated, and offer generous recline in both the front and rear rows. It also has the kinds of features you'd expect to see in a family sedan, including a large infotainment screen, sunroof, wireless charging dual climate zones, and a heated steering wheel. The back row particularly stands out for its design and ride quality. It feels much more like a regular passenger vehicle than most dual-cab utes on the market. But this car doesn't answer the fundamental question of whether Australia needs, or can support, another pretty-good diesel ute. It's hard to shake the feeling that the Tasman would have been a hit three or four years ago, but now it might be too little, too late. It's lucky the Tasman does well off-road, because it's facing a big uphill battle.
News.com.au
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
2025 Kia Tasman prices revealed
Kia has positioned its new Tasman ute as a premium machine, surprising the car industry with ambitious prices for its first ute. Set to take on the likes of Toyota's HiLux and the Ford Ranger in the best-selling dual-cab ute segment, the new Kia Tasman carries a price tag expected to exceed $80,000 drive-away for top-grade models. The new Tasman officially starts from $42,990 plus on-road costs in basic two-wheel-drive trim, rising to $49,990 plus on-road costs with four-wheel-drive. Further up the range, well-equipped X-Line models start from $67,990 plus on-roads, while the top-of-the-line X-Pro starts from $74,990 plus on-road costs. Metallic paint adds $700 to the bill. Kia Australia chief executive Damien Meredith says the Tasman is the brand's 'most anticipated model yet'. 'We are confident the input from Kia Australia at each stage of its development, along with its competitive value and versatility, will make it a very strong contender in the local market.' But Kia fans on its Australian Facebook page have told the brand the car is too expensive. One fan said 'the X-Pro's features are impressive, but the price point is a bit steep for my liking. I had expected Kia to be more competitive with their pricing to capture a larger share of the Australian market'. Another replied that 'The Ranger and HiLux are dominating this price point and superior in almost every way. The Australian market is screaming for something different, and at a lower price. The Tasman could have been that option if priced reasonably. Now it's just in the same league as the Ranger with less power.' Initially criticised for bold looks, the Tasman's styling appears to be warming with Kia fans who said 'when you see them in real life, the design and features grow on you. Its looks very robust'. The Tasman is powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine similar to that found in the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. The motor produces 154kW and 440Nm, which is less than what customers find in a HiLux or Ranger. But Kia says the car is more than up to the job. Every Tasman has a payload of at least 1000kg (which is by no means guaranteed by rival brands) and is capable of towing 3.5 tonnes. Better still, the Tasman comes as standard with an integrated electronic trailer brake controller for heavy-duty work. The car's tray is capable of carrying an Australian-standard cargo pallet, and clever storage under the rear seat promises to win support from tradies. Tech includes a 12.3-inch driver display, 5-inch climate control screen and 12.3-inch central display that put it toward the top of the class.
