Kia Unveils Its First Traditional Pickup Truck, the Tasman

SEOUL, Oct. 30 (Korea Bizwire) – Kia Motors made its first foray into the pickup truck market on October 29, unveiling the Tasman at the 2024 Jeddah International Motor Show, marking a significant expansion of the South Korean automaker’s vehicle lineup.

The mid-size pickup truck, developed under the theme “Dive into a New Dimension,” represents more than four years of intensive testing across multiple countries, including the United States, Sweden, Australia, South Korea, and the Middle East.

Kia reports conducting over 18,000 tests across 1,777 different scenarios to perfect the vehicle’s off-road capabilities, durability, ride and handling, towing stability, and water fording performance.

The Tasman features a purposefully minimalist exterior design that emphasizes utility while maintaining a robust presence. Its front incorporates Kia’s signature tiger nose design language, with a horizontal radiator grille and bumper, complemented by vertical signature lamps.

The truck’s profile features 45-degree corner edges for geometric harmony, while the rear includes corner steps for easier cargo bed access.

“We’ve achieved a perfect balance between lifestyle and utility,” said Karim Habib, Kia’s executive vice president of global design.

Inside, the Tasman boasts a tech-forward cabin with a 12.3-inch cluster display, a 5-inch climate control display, and Kia’s next-generation connected car navigation cockpit-based Panoramic Wide Display infotainment system. In a segment first, the truck offers sliding-linked reclining rear seats, addressing a common limitation in mid-size pickups.

Powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, the Tasman delivers 281 horsepower and 43.0 kgf·m of torque. The vehicle includes multiple terrain modes — sand, mud, and snow — plus an AI-powered auto terrain mode that automatically selects optimal driving settings based on road conditions.

The truck’s impressive capabilities include the ability to ford water up to 800mm deep at 7 kilometers per hour, thanks to cleverly positioned air intakes in the upper fender rather than the front.

It can tow up to 3,500kg and features an optimized cargo bed measuring 1,512mm in length, 1,572mm in width, and 540mm in height, with a maximum payload capacity of 700kg in its class-leading 1,173-liter storage space.

Kia will also offer an X-Pro variant designed for off-road enthusiasts, featuring a front undercover, 17-inch specialized wheels, all-terrain tires, and a higher ground clearance of 252mm — 28mm more than the standard model.

The automaker plans to launch the Tasman first in South Korea in the first half of next year, followed by releases in Australia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The vehicle comes equipped with advanced driver assistance features including steering wheel grip detection, smart cruise control, Highway Driving Assist 2, Lane Keeping Assist 2, Remote Smart Parking Assist, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist.

Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)