New Zealand will get the best global version of the Kia Tasman ute, Kia global executives have revealed before its worldwide reveal. The Kia Tasman was unveiled today at the Jeddah International Motor Show, in Saudi Arabia, with the Tasman bound for NZ in 2025, featuring some of the world’s most up-to-date technology, and an updated driver assist package that has New Zealand's Tasman models at the forefront of driving and safety.
After months of teases and speculation, camouflaged prototypes and videos with Tasmanian and Aussie stars, the Tasman ute has been revealed and trim levels and engines all but confirmed for New Zealand. While Australian media were seeing the Tasman for the first time in Tasmania, the rest of the world saw the Saudi Arabian unveiling, given it’s one of the key markets for the Tasman ute, including Latin America, plus Thailand, and of course New Zealand and Australia.
The first ute ever made by Kia (ignoring the 1973 Kia Brisa for headline's sake), Kia might be coming late to the dual cab party, but the South Korean company that’s been adding some superb models to its ICE and electrified model range, Sportage, Sorento, Seltos, EV9, EV3 et al, has unveiled its version of the one-tonne ute with the ability to both see what others have found successful, while creating its own blend of popular and cutting edge, combining rugged and robust looks with functional practicality and the latest cutting-edge technology and safety: a Tasman for all tastes.
Kia Tasman sets and establishes a benchmark for Kia’s future ute range, and it starts with the naming convention: Tasman, the 2000km wide by 2800km high stretch of sea that separates New Zealand from Australia, and a name chosen for its rugged and reliable Antipodean reputation, and a big declaration of Kia’s importance to the Australian and NZ markets.
The Kia Tasman has been designed to push boundaries of what’s possible from a pickup and invites customers to ‘Dive into a New Dimension’, according to Kia literature. It’s certainly a bold and brash design, and looks better in person than some angles suggest, with two models unveiled in Jeddah. Both full-time four-wheel drive, the two models also represent the models that New Zealand will get at launch: a black-on-black Kia Tasman X-Line targeted at a more road-focused user, and the sandy Tan Beige colour on the Kia Tasman X-Pro, clearly targeted at a more off-road, adventurous driver with a range of mechanical and technology extras aimed at achieving ultimate off-road ability.
Those two key models will launch the Kia Tasman into New Zealand - a Baseline 2WD that is also available in some global markets that can be indent ordered in NZ. Five body shape variants are also available, headlined by the double-cab wellside, but also available in double cab chassis, single cab, and an off-road version. Across the two key trims, there should be at least 10 potential variants of Kia Tasman, though the popular double-cab models are expected to dominate sales, like they do with Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.
Those rival models are key for Kia, as are other such as Mitsubishi Triton, as they have each proven sales, success and attributes for the Kiwi ute buyer, some of which have inspired and incorporated into the Kia Tasman. The rear corner steps for easier bed access, a soft-closing tailgate, standard bed liner, switchable lights (on left and right) plus a power socket are all popular and practical features of the Tasman.
Designed with a clean-sheet, the Tasman caters towards the lifestyle oriented ute with advanced features. President and CEO at Kia Global, Ho Sung Song states: “The Kia Tasman is a progressive pickup truck that follows it own path… with exceptional capability and practicality, and advanced features… a lifestyle vehicle for leisure and outdoor activities while meeting the needs of small business operators, such as traders and farmers.”
Kia Tasman exterior
That’s certainly the common theme with the rugged exterior design. With heavy influence from the Southern California design studio, the Tasman is careful to not be overstyled. Dimensionally, it’s fractionally larger than Ranger in every dimension, between 10-80mm: Kia Tasman specs are length (5410mm), width (1930mm), height (1890-1920mm) and wheelbase (3270mm).
There’s the basic box design, with a noticeably more upright windscreen and rear glass that create the box design and silhouette with chamfered doors, while the design also aids vision and safety, complemented by the 45-degree angle of the graphic elements.
The unique fender cladding design is one of the key design features, but also incorporates clever and practical design features, such not just the outer headlights, but a 6.3-litre storage bin in the driver’s side rear, and the fuel filler cap on the left side.
The front-end styling is clearly a departure from the norm, with the Kia Tiger Face emphasised by its upright grille and wide lines that showcase its width. There's a lot going on, almost the antidote to the super sparse lines of an EV.
Signature vertical lighting also gives the Tasman a very unique face; while there may be design influences - a bit of Jeep Gladiator here, some Ranger touches there - it is totally and distinctly unique and won’t be mistaken for anything else on the road, particularly with the stamped Kia logo on the tailgate and Tasman badging underneath. A high-mount stop light and tailgate handle are neatly integrated, as is the reversing camera, while the X-Pro gets added safety from additional cameras for an around-view.
Nine external colours are available: along with the Aurora Black Pearl X-Line and Tan Biege X-Pro at the Jeddah Motor Show, others are Clear White, Snow Pearl White, Steel Grey, Interstellar Grey, Cityscape Green, Runaway Red, and Denim Blue.
Interestingly, the black X-Line de-emphasises a lot of the Tasman’s unique body lines, somewhat masking the wheelarch cladding, and also the leading garnish trim on the bonnet, features that boldly stand out in lighter body colours.
In a country where all-black cars rule, it’s the more discrete option for Kiwis: however all those body adds-ons and bit of flair and muscle and uniqueness certainly stand out way more in the Beige model, with the wheelarch cladding, bonnet trim, front bumper and grille, plus the bedliner that extends over the sides and the higher roof rails all adding to the Tasman’s presence.
Kia Tasman Interior
Interior colour choices are designed to complement, but in a Kia way, there are some design highlights and an emphasis on matching the colour choice to the model. While NZ-spec trims are yet to be finalised, there are five key colour combos: Onyx Black/Medium Grey, Espresso Brown/Only Black and Deep Green/Medium Grey; while the X models that NZ will get (X-Line and X-Pro) get the added choice of two-tone options of Black/Grey and a Deep Green/Terracotta Brown.
The X-Pro model we saw had the Terracotta highlights around the centre console storage/dual smartphone wireless charging pads, that added both a contrast to the black trim, and a more practical way of seeing what’s actually in those areas. That particular storage/charging area also comes with a pair of USB-C ports, along with being deep enough to contain any loose times that could go bouncing around in some more extreme off-roading adventures, with soft-grippy finish.
Overall it’s a modern design with traditional functions. Wide and clean lines dominate, with a mix of symmetry, and robust, chunky controls and modern technology.
The latest tech includes a three-screen display for driver/passenger infotainment, combining a 12.3-inch gauge screen, 5-inch HVAC screen and 12.3-inch panoramic infotainment widescreen – crucially, thankfully, there’s also an expanse of actual buttons, that are not just physically there, but done well: large, with gnarled, grippy designs for the key controls of volume, temperature and fan controls – no need to go flicking through touchscreen pages to drop the temp one degree.
From the chunky interior door-handles, to the switchgear, to the drive mode, the switches are big, visible, quick and easy. Perfect.
There are also over-the-air updates, for which NZ is ready and waiting for Tasman’s arrival.
About the only missing bit of key modern tech is a Head-Up Display, a feature not possible by the upright angle of the windscreen.
There’s even an element of sustainability, with the crash-pad made from bio-plastics, seats crafted with recycled PET fabric and bio PU synthetic leather/pleather, carpets made from recycled PET material; even the centre console plastics show the subtle appearance and visual texture of being eco-conscious and recycled.
It’s all supported by the multifunction steering wheel, adjustable in tilt and reach and a perfect fit: thick and well-shaped, with drive mode and terrain switches, plus the familiar controls of other Kia models for audio volume and cruise control. Gear selection and engine stop/start are via a stalk behind the wheel, which frees up practical storage space in the centre console.
A Harmon Kardon premium eight-speaker sound system takes advantage of the typical media that a 2025 ute driver wants, such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The interior is wide and spacious, with best-in-segment for headroom, shoulder room and second-row legroom of 940mm. The rear seats are very functional, able to recline between 22-30 degrees, move 60mm fore-aft on rails, while the base flips up to reveal another 33-litres of underseat storage.
There’s even a touch of premium with customiseable mood lighting extending to the dash and doors, but being a ute designed for and developed in hot climates, there are large honeycomb airvents to maximise cabin cooling.
On top of all this, there’s a very brilliant centre console lid, that doesn’t just lift up to reveal an easter egg of the Kia Tasman schematics and dimensions, but also folds forward to create a working space table, with a small storage bin at the back – so simple, yet effective, and one of those ‘why-haven’t-we-seen-this-before’ features.
Kia Tasman’s interior is simply stunning, bridging the gap between its latest road cars packed with modern technology, and a traditionally dated utility vehicle, combining comfort, purpose, functionality and technology, making it by far the best ute interior on the market.
With just so much to cover, read more about the new Kia Tasman, its engines, off-roading ability, technology and when we can expect to see it in NZ plus pricing range in part 2, click here.
