Kia has confirmed it’ll uncover the hotly anticipated Tasman ute in less than two weeks, with an Australian state playing a part in its reveal.
After speculation that the Tasman would debut at the Jeddah motor show in Saudi Arabia and in Hobart, Tasmania later this month, Kia has now confirmed its all-new dual-cab ute will be unveiled on October 29 at 6:00pm AEDT.
CarExpert understands the Kia Tasman will make simultaneous physical world debuts in both the Middle East and Australia at the time, following an invite to Australian media for “a very exciting and highly anticipated new Kia product” in the Apple Isle at the end of the month.
100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Coming soon – The Kia Tasman.
— Kia Worldwide (@Kia_Worldwide) October 15, 2024
Dive into a New Dimension.
World Premiere at the Jeddah International Motor Show.
Watch the live streaming event on our YouTube channel, October 29th, 10AM (Saudi Arabia) / 4PM (Korea) / 6PM (Australia). pic.twitter.com/tvAWEB2GLb
Apart from announcing the Tasman’s reveal time, Kia has now also provided a better look at the ute through a video uploaded online.
Though the shadowy teaser doesn’t give the game away, we can see design elements that were previously covered, such as protruding door handles, a semi-clamshell bonnet, a rear bumper that incorporates a step and a lipped section at the top of its tailgate – reminiscent of the Nissan Navara.
More images uploaded by Kia online also appear to show the brand’s logo stamped on its tailgate, while raised lettering appears above the grille.
As previously reported, the Kia Tasman is expected to feature 3500kg of braked towing capacity and 1000kg of payload capacity in its attempt to take on the best-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.
The Tasman will launch in Australia in mid-2025 with a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Kia hasn’t announced plans to add a six-cylinder engine or hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains to the lineup, but it’s expected to release a battery-electric version of the Tasman in 2026.
From launch, power is expected to come from the Hyundai Group’s 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, which in the Kia Sorento SUV and Carnival people mover produces 148kW of power and 440Nm of torque.
The seven-year warranty applicable across Kia’s current model range is expected to provide the Tasman with a leg-up over its rivals in Australia’s competitive ute market.
MORE: Everything Kia
MORE: 2025 Kia Tasman ute: Everything we know about Ranger, HiLux rival
MORE: Why the 2025 Kia ute won’t have a V6 engine
MORE: 2025 Kia ute – No hybrid, plug-in hybrid Tasman for now
MORE: 2025 Kia ute – Five-star ANCAP rating a “non-negotiable” for Tasman
MORE: 2025 Kia Tasman ute’s interior spied
