Latest news with #DeanNorbiato
Motor 1
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
The Kia Tasman Pickup Might Spawn a Toyota 4Runner SUV Rival
Kia introduced the Tasman, its first truck, last October for markets like Asia and Australia. However, the company might already have bigger plans to expand the model's appeal. In an interview with CarSales , Kia Australia's Chief Ride and Handling Engineer, Graeme Gambold, said that an SUV based on the Tasman pickup could be just three years away. Dean Norbiato, the automaker's regional general manager of marketing, added that if the Tasman was a success, it could "open many doors." Photo by: Kia However, details remain scarce about such a long-rumored model. The Tasman is a body-on-frame truck , which Kia claims can ford water up to 31.5 inches deep, and it is available with a locking differential for added off-road ruggedness. The Tasman is designed to compete with other mid-size trucks, such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. An SUV version would give Kia an interesting Toyota 4Runner rival. Rugged SUVs remain popular, especially in places that demand robust vehicles. Using the truck's rugged platform for an SUV is a smart opportunity that could broaden the brand's appeal to potentially new customers. Photo by: Toyota Despite America's love of trucks and SUVs, Kia confirmed in April that it has no plans to bring the Tasman to the US . That likely kills any chance of the United States ever getting the SUV variant if the automaker decides to make one. It's a truck that Kia designed for emerging markets, Korea, and Australia. However, Kia does plan to launch a different truck in the United States, but it'll be all-electric and ride on a new platform. We don't know when it'll arrive, but Kia believes it'll be able to sell 90,000 of them once production gets rolling, which could be as soon as next year. Here's More Kia News: Some Kia EV9 Trims Are Way Cheaper for 2026 2026 Kia Carnival Is Still the Cheapest Minivan on Sale Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Auto Blog
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Kia Confirms A Tasman SUV Is Coming
The Kia Tasman may spawn a rugged SUV to take on the 4Runner. This should be good. Kia May Soon Have An Answer To The 4Runner And Bronco The Kia Tasman is a midsize pickup with styling that not everyone will gel with, and which is off-limits to American buyers for the time being. However, its eccentricity in the styling department may not negatively impact its future prospects for diversification, according to a report from Australia's Carsales. When asked by the publication whether a Kia Tasman-based SUV could be openly discussed, Kia Australia Chief Engineer for Ride and Handling Graeme Gombold answered the question directly: 'Three years down the track.' That means a new Toyota 4Runner rival could reach dealer floors by 2029. 0:00 / 0:09 Tesla sales in Europe drop yet again Watch More An SUV Is Just One Way The Tasman Could Grow Gambold's job is to fine-tune Kia suspensions for the specific demands of the Australasian region and its roadways, so it follows that the engineer would know what's coming down the pipeline. However, this new SUV, and other potential incarnations of the Tasman, first depend on the base vehicle achieving success, as the brand's marketing boss, Dean Norbiato, was quick to point out. 'If Tasman is a success, then it will open many doors, so let's get Tasman right first,' said the executive. 'Once we get that right, then we can go from there. Let us take a breath; the media was asking for a ute [pickup truck] for 10 years.' So it'll be some way off if it happens, but clearly, Kia knows it's worth exploring, and suggesting that 'many doors' can be opened indicates there may be other applications for the truck. Chances Of An American Tasman SUV Source: Kia Kia's American arm offers the Sportage and Sorento, but neither of those is constructed atop a body-on-frame architecture, which means there is still a gap in the U.S. market that Kia could potentially fill, offering something to compete with the Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner. However, as noted at the outset, the Tasman's chances of arrival in America seem slim, and if that's not arriving, would it be worth tweaking the eventual SUV? Perhaps not, but the good news is that Kia is bringing a pickup of some sort to our shores, and there's no reason to believe that truck can't someday spawn an SUV that fits right into a gap in the U.S. market. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
