Vehicle overview
The Tasman is a bold new entrant to the Australian ute segment, with Kia hoping to further expand its footprint Down Under with a value-packed, capable workhorse for work and family duties alike. There’s certainly no mistaking it for one of its rivals on the styling front, thanks to its uniquely boxy design that makes a bold first impression. Climb inside and you’re treated to a modern, tech-filled cabin that features a pair of 12.3-inch displays as standard. More importantly, however, the Tasman is built to get to work on the jobsite with strong payload figures above one tonne across the range and up to 3,500kg worth of braked towing capacity. Power comes supplied by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel unit that kicks out 154kW of power and 440Nm of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed auto and consumes a claimed 8.1L per 100km on the combined cycle. Kia bundles in a mechanical locking rear differential in as standard with the base model to help out when the going gets tough, with the flagship Tasman X-Pro picking up an electronic locking differential and Kia’s X-Trek drive modes, a ground-view monitor and 17-inch alloys wrapped in all-terrain tyres.
