Kia Australia has received more than 20,000 expressions of interest in its upcoming Tasman pick-up truck, despite the ute’s polarising exterior design.
The long-awaited load-lugger is set to enter the Australian market mid-year as one of the headline releases of 2025 for both Kia and the wider new-vehicle market, with three body styles, five trims and two powertrain configurations (4x2, 4x4) set to be offered from launch.
Pricing and finer specification details are all yet to be confirmed, but carsales understands pre-orders will start being taken in March in preparation for a wholesale event sometime in July and subsequent release in the weeks following.
The range will initially be powered exclusively by a Sorento-sourced 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine driving the rear or all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, however a new-generation 2.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid system is also on the cards for future deployment and could ultimately help deliver and Ford Ranger Raptor-hunting Kia Tasman GT.
Hyundai N is also rumoured to be working on a high-performance version of the system, likely upping the ante over 246kW it outputs in the second-generation Palisade SUV.
Years in the making, Kia has thrown the kitchen sink at the Tasman and its development with highlights including discs rear brakes, crawl control, all-terrain tyres from the factory, ground view monitor, up to 252mm of ground clearance, full-time 4x4, reclining rear seats and a console table.
Obviously not all these features and appointments will be available on or applicable to every variant.