But is the ride HIgh and LUXurious enough?
A ladder frame pick-up truck is not something people were expecting to see from Kia, but the brand has surprised them before with Stingering designs and sporty dynamics. And so, it only makes sense to surprise this time with a pick-up truck. Named after the Tasman Sea, the Kia Tasman is available to order in—you guessed it—Australia, with prices starting at AUD 46,490 (drive away). The ute is also available to order in certain Middle Eastern and African markets.
| Grade | AUD |
| S 4×2 | 46,490 |
| S 4×4 | 53,890 |
| SX 4×4 | 58,490 |
| SX+ 4×4 | 66,490 |
| X-Line 4×4 | 70,990 |
| X-Pro 4×4 | 77,990 |
Nope, the Tasman has nothing to do with the Santa Cruz “pick-up truck”; this is a proper body-on-frame truck.
The Tasman looks nothing like the Kias we’ve seen so far, and that’s probably the idea. It looks brute and rugged, and you don’t wanna mess with it when you see it in your ORVM, especially when it’s in full black. The truck measures 5,410 mm long and 1,930 mm wide, and has a wheelbase of 3,270 mm. The height varies depending on the variant; the X-Pro model measures 1,920 mm tall. The standard suspension setup includes double-wishbones at the front and a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear.
The X-Pro is the most capable of the bunch, boasting all-terrain tyres, a ground clearance of up to 252 mm, and approach, departure and ramp-over angles of up to 32.2, 26.2 and 25.8 degrees respectively. Furthermore, features such as an Electronic Locking Differential (e-LD), X-Trek Mode (low-speed off-road cruise control (under 10 km/h)), and Ground View Monitor are also exclusive to the X-Pro. In addition to Snow, Mud and Sand modes, the X-Pro gets a Rock mode as well.
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story, the Tasman offers two powertrain options. The petrol is a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged unit, offering 207 kW (281 metric hp) and 421 Nm (310.5 lb-ft). The petrol comes paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The diesel is a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged unit, offering 154.5 kW (210 metric hp) and 441 Nm (325 lb-ft). The diesel can be paired with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission. The 4WD models will, of course, have a Two-Speed Active Transfer Case.
Inside, key highlights include a Panoramic Wide Display (a 12.3-inch cluster display, a 5-inch segment display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment), a Harman Kardon premium sound system, a 33-liter under-seat storage compartment beneath the rear seat cushions, and ADAS safety assurance.
Recommended for you
Leave a Reply
Note: Comments that are unrelated to the post above get automatically filtered into the trash bin.
