Kia has confirmed the automotive industry’s worst-kept secret by announcing its new ute will be called the Tasman – claiming it will be the “most Australian Kia yet”.
The Kia Tasman nameplate surfaced through trademark applications well before the carmaker rolled out a well-circulated ad featuring local sports stars vying for the ute to be named after them.
The brand has released a second ad on YouTube to announce the Tasman name to the public, alongside an arrival date: 2025.
While the Tasman will be produced in South Korea, Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith says the brand’s Australian division has played an important part in making sure it’s up to scratch with its Thai-built rivals which dominate the local sales race.
“The team at Kia Australia has been working closely with the Research and Development team at headquarters to develop Tasman, a vehicle we believe will meet the needs of our unique market, so it’s very rewarding that it has been granted an Australian-inspired name befitting its personality,” Mr Meredith said.
“We have strong ambitions for Tasman in our market, and the fact that its name has such distinct links to our region is evidence of Kia Australia’s instrumental role in its development and future success.“
As recently reported, the Kia Tasman will launch in Australia with a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Kia hasn’t announced plans to add a six-cylinder engine or hybrid and plug-in hybrid options to the lineup.
Kia has previously said it’s targeting for the Tasman to account for 10 per cent Australia’s light commercial vehicle sales.
In 2023, almost 240,000 utes were sold in Australia, among the 1.2 million new vehicle sales recorded across the 12-month period.
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