Having been teased way back to April, the Kia Tasman has lastly been revealed because the model’s first pick-up truck. Not like the Hyundai Santa Cruz – an SUV-based mannequin with a monocoque chassis – this can be a correct go-anywhere, do-anything one-tonne truck that has the all-conquering Toyota Hilux proper in its sights.
Which means it has a ladder-frame chassis and a strong rear axle with leaf springs, de rigueur for this phase, plus double wishbones on the entrance. Additional proof of Kia’s seriousness in promoting the Tasman as a piece automobile is the provision of single- and double-cab variants, together with a customisable chassis cab for companies to connect no matter they need to the body rails.
The corporate can also be promising a payload of over 1,000 kg (therefore one tonne), a towing capability of three,500 kg and a tow ball mass ranking of 350 kg. All Tasman fashions have a most water wading depth of 800 mm at speeds of as much as 7 km/h, because of an air consumption mounted contained in the entrance fender. Kia has additionally applied a number of water ingress prevention measures, together with using waterproof connectors for chosen inside elements, to extend sturdiness in difficult situations.
The engine choices are a bit extra fashionable. Relying in the marketplace, consumers will have the ability to select from turbocharged petrol and diesel mills. The previous is a 2.5 litre Theta 3 direct-injected four-cylinder that already sees service within the aforementioned Santa Cruz, producing 281 PS and 421 Nm of torque.
It’s completely mated to an eight-speed computerized gearbox and will get from zero to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds on its technique to a high pace of 185 km/h. Patrons might balk on the gasoline consumption, nonetheless, which is rated at simply 8.0 km per litre.
Maybe higher suited to such a workhorse is a brand new model of the ever-present 2.2 litre R turbodiesel, now producing 210 PS and 441 Nm of torque. This one may be had with both the slushbox or a six-speed handbook, but it surely’s fairly a bit slower to 100 km/h at 10.4 seconds. You’ll be rewarded in spades in your forbearance on the pumps, nonetheless, with a gasoline consumption determine of 13.2 km per litre.
Additional modernity may be noticed within the suspension, which utilises frequency-selective dampers extra generally seen in premium autos, together with Hydraulic Rebound Cease expertise. These are mentioned to minimise vibration and enhance physique management and luxury “even on the roughest terrain.”
Patrons who need much more off-road functionality can go for both the X-Line or X-Professional variants, each coming with commonplace four-wheel drive (elective on the bottom mannequin) that may routinely change between two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and low-range 4WD. Three drive modes (Eco, Good or Sport) and three terrain settings (Sand/Desert, Mud or Snow) are provided, with the X-Professional including a Rock mode to the latter.
Additionally distinctive to the X-Professional mannequin are 17-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres (the X-Line receives bigger 18s and freeway terrain tyres), a 28 mm elevate package (bringing floor clearance as much as 252 mm), an digital locking rear differential and an X-Trek mode. The latter features as a kind of off-road cruise management, much like Land Rover’s All Terrain Progress Management.
Kia has gone all out in giving the Tasman a particular look, which will definitely divide opinion. On the very least, its designers can’t be accused of aping extra well-liked pick-ups, with probably the most putting function being the black horizontal fender flares. These combine the small vertical headlights, gasoline filler door and, on the suitable facet of the mattress, a small storage compartment.
These “pontoons” flank a tubular-shaped physique emphasised by the huge grille and U-shaped black bonnet trim, forming Kia’s Tiger Face graphic along with the chunky entrance bumper. The remainder of the design is outlined by chiselled surfacing, an upright windscreen and glasshouse, an upswept window line kink on the double cab fashions, tiny C-shaped taillights and mattress steps built-in into the rear bumper.
Double-cab fashions have a mattress that measures 1,512 mm lengthy, 1,572 mm large (1,186 mm between the wheels), and 540 mm deep, leading to a claimed segment-leading cargo capability of 1,173 litres. You’ll additionally discover built-in illumination, a sliding cargo flooring to ease loading and unloading and a 240- or 220-volt energy outlet.
Not sufficient? Kia is providing 4 customisation choices that add usability, together with Single Decker (cover and roof rack), Double Decker (butterfly mattress doorways and sliding tonneau cowl), Sports activities Roll Bar and Ladder Rack packages. There are additionally 13 totally different equipment so that you can select from, together with two facet steps and hardcore bead-lock wheels.
Inside, the Tasman treads acquainted pick-up terrain, with an rectangular dashboard, a large centre console with a wide range of storage areas (together with twin Qi wi-fi chargers) and many chunky toggle switches. A honeycomb mesh over the air-con vents brings to thoughts the most recent Honda fashions such because the Civic.
The inside tech consists of a twin 12.3-inch shows for the instrumentation and infotainment, cut up by a five-inch multi-function display screen for the local weather controls – much like what you’ll discover within the EV9. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as commonplace, with an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system elective.
Elsewhere, sensible touches embrace a big folding console desk, hidden storage bins beneath the rear seats (with a complete capability of 33 litres) and a recline operate for these again pews, permitting passengers to lean again between 22 and 30 levels. Kia can also be boasting best-in-class headroom and shoulder room, together with 940 mm of rear-seat legroom.
As is changing into commonplace within the pick-up phase, the Tasman is chock-full of the most recent driver help techniques, together with Freeway Driving Help 2 (HDA 2) Degree 2 semi-autonomous driving performance – all optimised with a setting that accounts for a trailer being pulled on the again.
The Kia Tasman can be launched in its residence market of South Korea within the first half of 2025, earlier than being step by step rolled out in Australia, Africa and the Center East – Saudi Arabia, the place the truck was revealed, is predicted to be a powerful market. No point out of Southeast Asia nonetheless, which is baffling on condition that Thailand is among the largest pick-up markets on this planet. What do you suppose – would you wish to see the Tasman being provided in Malaysia? Pontificate within the feedback after the soar.
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