Kia revealed its new Tasman pickup, a midsize truck that takes direct aim at two of the global market leaders, the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma. The bold design is available in a variety of different body configurations and offers two different powertrain options. The question now is whether Kia will take a chance at prying open a niche in the U.S. market.
The Kia Tasman has a similarly boxy look but is slightly smaller than the Jeep Gladiator.
Kia is the latest automaker to enter the growing midsize pickup segment, unveiling its new Tasman this week.
The new truck goes with a rugged body-on-frame platform and has a boxy design that might remind some of the Jeep Gladiator. But it’s clearly targeting the two global midsize market leaders, the Toyota Tacoma and the Ford Ranger, both of which went through major redesigns this past year.
The Korean carmaker announced plans to introduce Tasman into a number of markets where there’s strong demand for midsize pickups, including Central America, Africa, Australia and the Mideast. But it said it’s not ready to commit to the U.S. and will “continuously stud(y) the marketplace for opportunities.”
What’s new
Kia Tasman gets a roomy cargo bed and a small sidewall storage bin.
Tasman is all-new and, unlike some recent entries into the mid- and compact pickup segment, opts for a more conventional body-on-frame design. It will be offered with three different configurations: base double-cab, X-Line and X-Pro. The latter package is similar to the Toyota Tacoma TRD package, with 11.1 inches of ground clearance.
The truck measures 213.0 inches in length, with a 128.7-inch wheelbase. It’s 61.9 inches in width and features a 5-foot cargo bed. The bed is 21.3-inches deep which allows more than 41 cubic feet of storage space and there’s an additional hidden side storage box with 0.2 cf of space. The truck also has some trick features available, such as a small table for the bed, and a sliding cargo floor.
Indeed, Kia has come up with a variety of features that should appeal to those who make serious use of a pickup, whether for work or play. It boasts a corner step for easy bed access, bed lighting and a 220-volt AC outlet.
Powertrain
The Kia Tasman will be offered with two different powertrains, one gas, one diesel.
In its current configuration, Tasman offers two different drivetrain options:
- A 2.5-liter turbo-four gas engine making 277 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. It can hit 60 in about 8.5 seconds;
- A 2.2-liter turbo-diesel pushing out 207 hp and 325 lb-ft. It will hit 60 in just over 10 seconds.
Both rear- and four-wheel-drive configurations are available and Kia is expected to offer such niceties as a low-speed transfer case with the X-Pro, though it hasn’t announced full details yet,
What’s particularly impressive is the tow rating on the 4WD package: up to 7,716 pounds – or 1,200 lbs more than any version of Tacoma.
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Off-roading
Tasman gets twin 12.3-inch screens and plenty of tech features.
Depending upon the package, Kia Tasman will be suited for rough duty – no surprise considering some of the markets where it will be heading.
Not only will the X-Pro boast one of the highest ground clearances in the midsize segment but the automaker says it will be capable of fording up to 31.5 inches of water.
In many parts of the world, pickups serve double duty, as both work and personal transportation. Tasman will feature an impressive array of advanced driver assistance technology, including Blind Spot Assistance and Lake Keeping Assistance – though standard features likely will vary by country, as well as trim. The truck also gets some features especially useful for maneuvering off-road such as the Kia Ground View Monitor which lets a driver see what’s happening under the vehicle.
Creature comforts
Tasman boasts a roomy interior with useful underseat storage.
Among other refined features, Tasman will feature a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, both under a single glass panel.
Tech features also include dual wireless charging pads, an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There’s plenty of storage space, and a center console that can create a work table. Even the rear seats recline – though they also can be lifted up to reveal additional storage space.
For its first-ever truck, Kia has made what initially appears to be a solid, competitive offering. Whether American motorists will get a chance to check it out, however, has yet to be decided.
That sweat you see is coming from Dearborn and Warren.
Well, I think it’s obvious that importing this would tack on a 25% chicken-tax tariff, and Kia has made no announcement about adding a body-on-frame vehicle to any of their existing North American plants, so that seems like a pretty hard ‘no’ for the US. This is the ‘strategic’ truck targeting emerging markets (eg, not the US) that was announced two years ago; we’ll get the new EV truck.