2025 Kia Tasman fender fix promised

If you’re interested in the new Kia Tasman ute but concerned about its weird ‘Charlie Chaplin moustache’ fender flares, don’t worry, there are fixes coming.

Essentially, you’ll be able to go full Mexican or have a dye job.

In other words, the upcoming Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux fighter will come with an accessory fender flare that extends all the way around the wheel arch.

Another choice expected to be on offer will be a body coloured version of the stock fender.

The Tasman is set to make its world debut simultaneously in Australia and the Middle East on October 29 – amusingly, the Australian reveal will take place in Hobart… Tasmania.

It will go on-sale in Australia the first half of 2025.

The Tasman has been extensively teased in disguise testing in Australia and other global locations, with the unique horizontal fender flare sitting over each wheel arch being one of the most controversial talking points.

“It’s very good news,” Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith told carsales.

“I can assure you that accessory [fender flare] will be there at launch.”

Asked if the fender flare will be offered at a friendly price, Meredith said: “Yes it will be.”

The ladder frame Tasman will initially come powered exclusively by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine and be available from launch with a dual-cab body and 4x4, however the range is expected to also include single cab, cab-chassis and 4x2 variants.

“We’ll have a good line-up at launch,” promised Meredith.

He also expressed “pretty high” confidence in the acceptance the Tasman will gain here.

Kia Australia is expecting to sell 20,000 Tasmans per annum, pushing the Korean brand toward 100,000 annual sales and into the fight to be the second-most popular brand on the market behind the ever-dominant Toyota.

“We asked for a light commercial vehicle in March 2018, so six years later they have come to market with this amazing product,” Meredith said.

“We saw it in P1 (pre-production) form at work earlier on this week and it’s impressive.

“All the work we have done; on-road, off-road, pressure-testing it goes under in regard to heat, cold, etcetera. It’s passed with flying colours.

“It ticks all the boxes that are required for the tradey, for agriculture and for lifestyle.

“We are all-in, we are pretty confident, we never get over-confident, we like to remain humble as always. But we are pretty happy with where we are at this point in time.”

The reveal of the Tasman will be followed by another round of star-studded advertising.

The first phase – released before its name was revealed – was set in a pub where high profile Aussies sports stars including cricketers David Boon and Steve Waugh, AFL footballer Buddy Franklin and others debated what it should be called.

Meredith told carsales some familiar faces would return for phase two along with some new ones, but the location would change.

“I think they’ll be out seeing the benefits of what the Tasman can do,” he said.

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