The Kia Tasman could land in Australia sooner than we thought, with the start-of-production date for the hotly anticipated dual-cab ute now locked in for late 2024, according to new reports from Korean media.
Kia in Australia has always said the Tasman would arrive in Australia in 2025, and earlier reports had pointed to the ute’s Korean production commencing in February next year, which would mean Australian arrivals about the end of March.
But reports out of Korea now point to the Tasman production line firing up in December 2024, which mean the ute could be in Australia at the very end of this year, or more likely in January 2025.
The news will come as music to the ears of those in the queue for the Kia Tasman, with registrations of interest now open ahead of the official order books opening later this year.
While Kia in Australia is yet to fully detail the Tasman, we have no shortage of educated guesses about what will be powering it when it is finally officially revealed.
The brand has flagged a “familiar” four-cylinder diesel engine, which would likely mean the same 2.2-litre unit found in the Sorento and Carnival, which produces 148kW and 440Nm, and which pairs with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
There will be a manual option, too, along with a 1000kg-plus payload and a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity.
All of which, the brand says, are non-negotiables in the Australian ute space, and key steps in its quest to become a benchmark product in its segment.
“We’ve said all along that if we’re going to develop this vehicle, then it has to be a solid competitor for HiLux and Ranger,” Kia Australia’s GM of Product Planning, Roland Rivero, has told CarsGuide.
“We’re not mucking around when it comes to the ute. We want to make sure that the first attempt at a ute from our brand is one that’s going to do well in our market.”
It will also be the most Australian-focused product ever produced by Kia, such is the importance of our market when it comes to ute sales.
CarsGuide understands Kia has funded several top-secret missions to our market to study its competitors, its customers and Australia’s unique conditions, with development stretching way back to 2020.
Having been previously asked whether the new ute would be the most Australian Kia ever, Mr Rivero replied: “Definitely.”
“It’s a different sport,” he says. “But with that involvement comes a lot of responsibility.”