The Kia Tasman is edging closer towards its official unveiling, as the Korean carmaker continues to test its first ute overseas.
After testing the Tasman in Sweden’s icy weather earlier this year, Kia is now evaluating the dual-cab in the hotter climes of Spain.
This is despite Kia previously ruling out a European debut for the Tasman when it launches in the coming months, instead focusing on lucrative markets such as Australia – where utes dominate the sales charts and account for nearly 20 per cent of new vehicle deliveries.
Kia is set to reveal the Tasman in full later this year, with the first examples understood to be on track to arrive before the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament which the brand is a major sponsor of.
While we already know certain details about the Kia Tasman, some specifics are yet to be confirmed.
It will ride on a body-on-frame chassis like every dual-cab ute in Australia and has been benchmarked against the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux, which could see it match their 3500kg braked towing capacity and offer a payload around 1000kg.
Powering the Kia Tasman will be a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, reportedly displacing 2.2 litres, making it similar if not identical to the engine offered in the Sorento.
Kia won’t launch the Tasman with a six-cylinder engine or hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains, however these could debut further into the model’s lifecycle.
Previous spy photos have shown the interior features a retro-influenced T-bar automatic gear shifter, utilitarian-style door handles, black headlining and A-pillar grab handles.
A five-star ANCAP safety rating is “non-negotiable” for Kia, due to many Australian fleets requiring the top score for the vehicles they own.
More information on the Kia Tasman will be announced closer to its official launch.
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