- Tasman is Kia’s first pickup truck
- Midsize pickup features body-on-frame construction and selection of gas and diesel powertrains
- Sales unlikely to start out in U.S.
Kia used the 2024 Jeddah auto show on last week in Saudi Arabia for the debut of its first pickup truck, the midsize Tasman.
The Tasman is a correct truck featuring body-on-frame construction, a live rear axle, rear leaf springs, and, depending in the marketplace, will offer the selection of gas and diesel powertrains. Buyers can even have the option to pick from manual and automatic transmissions, and single- and dual-cab bodies.
2025 Kia Tasman
The gas powertrain is a 2.5-liter inline-4 rated at 277 hp, which is able to only be offered with the automated, on this case an 8-speed. Kia estimates 0-62 mph acceleration in 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 115 mph.
The diesel is a 2.2-liter turbo-4 with 207 hp. It is going to be offered with either the automated or a 6-speed manual. Kia said the diesel requires 10.4 seconds to speed up to 62 mph from rest, and the highest speed is unchanged from the gas engine.
2025 Kia Tasman
The Tasman measures 213 inches long, making it longer than popular midsize trucks just like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma. It also includes a 5.0-foot bed with a volume of 41.4 cubic feet and a maximum payload rating of two,634 kilos. The towing capability is 7,716 kilos.
Inside, the Tasman has a contemporary design with a single panel integrating a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment. There’s also a big folding console table, dual wireless charging pads, an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo, and hidden storage bins concealed beneath the rear seats.
2025 Kia Tasman
Buyers can even find a great deal of useful tech, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a transparent hood-style system Kia calls the Ground View Monitor. It uses cameras to point out what’s happening to the front wheels, which is helpful when traversing tricky terrain when off-roading or in some parking situations. For off-roaders, The Tasman is available in X-Pro form which brings extra ground clearance, an electronic rear locking differential, and all-terrain tires.
The Tasman starts sales in the primary half of 2025 in Kia’s home market of Korea, before heading to markets in Africa and West Asia, plus Australia. A U.S. launch hasn’t been ruled out but is unlikely unless production starts here, given the punitive tariffs placed on imported light trucks. Kia is as an alternative expected to deal with an electric truck within the U.S., which the automaker previously confirmed as considered one of 14 EVs due by the top of 2027.
This Article First Appeared At www.motorauthority.com
