Kia Tasman accessory line-up revealed

Kia has confirmed its new Tasman ute family is launching in Australia with a range of 45 tailored genuine accessories and more than 100 accessories in total across all variants.

Big ticket, locally developed items include a variety of roof storage layouts, canopies, tonneau covers and multiple bull bar and tow bar configurations.

Off-roaders can add a snorkel and dust-defence kit, while general adventure is catered for with roof pods, in addition to bicycle, watercraft as well as ski and snowboard carriers.

There’s also a car fridge, folding table, a variety of floor mat options, headlamp protectors, bonnet protectors, weather shields, sill protection, a roadside assist kit and even an aromatherapy diffuser.

No example of the controversially styled Tasman comes standard with side steps, sports bar or sail plane for the dual cab load box, but they are offered as accessories.

Big ticket item costs include $6114 for a Premium Canopy, $5005 for an electric roller shutter, $3619 for a manual roller shutter, $1030 for tubular steel side steps, $1705 for dual platform side steps, $1176 for a short arm sports bar and $1271 for a long arm sports bar and a towbar kit with rear recovery hooks is $1622 (all including fitment and GST).

There are three bullbars on offer. A full hoop, single hoop and a replacement bar. However, they don't go on-sale until August.

The full hoop costs as much as $4573, the single hoop as much as $4291 and the bar replacement as much as $4066 for X-badged models.

A long-range fuel tank, lift kits and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) upgrade have been ruled out as future genuine accessories for Tasman. That stuff will be up to the after-market to deliver.

Work on the developing the Tasman’s accessories began as far back as January 2022. Kia Australian co-operated with Kia’s Korean test HQ in Namyang and local suppliers on the project.

First on-road testing of accessories on a prototype commenced in June 2024 in Australia, while testing also took place at Namyang. More than 200kg of accessories was bolted to a prototype Tasman and more than 30,000km of testing completed locally.

“We wanted to test how the accessories fared and how the vehicle interacted with those accessories,” explained Nathan Castricum, Kia Australia’s General Manager of Parts & Accessories.

“Really checking for overheating, things coming loose, cracking that sort of thing.

“The results were overwhelmingly positive and the data gathered from those testings really changed how the final product we see today came out. It was quite exciting.

Key accessories that were subject to Korean testing included the bullbars, side steps, canopies, tow bars, tonneaus and trays for the cab chassis models.

“The main focus was fastening points and how the accessories interacted with the vehicle,” explained Castricum.

“Tow bars had to be beefed up for 3.5 tonne towing and 350kg downball weight.”

But the biggest accessory project were the bullbars. They are all black powder coated steel and are crash tested in Australia to ensure airbag compatibility.

They also come with 3mm mild steel bash plates and fit all Tasman variants.

“All use the same architecture,” explained Castricum. “All come with rated recovery hooks at two times GVM. Strengthening was required at the front.

“We also have custom fog lights that mimic the original fog lights that come with the vehicle.”

Five star ANCAP ratings remain intact for S, SX and SX+ dual cab 4x4 Tasmans fitted with bullbars and/or side steps.

Other accessory design features highlighted by Castricum included the fact the carrier for the electric roll cover is mounted to the top rail of the box rather than inside improving storage and clearance. Additionally, chassis rails were reinforced for the tow bar, allowing the fitment of rated recovery hooks and a three-piece heavy-duty bash plate runs from the engine bay back past the transfer case.

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