The highly anticipated Kia Tasman has arrived, marking a brave new chapter for the South Korean brand as it enters the highly competitive local bakkie market with a vehicle featuring an extremely bold, divisive boxy design.
It was erstwhile Head of Kia Global Design Peter Schreyer who stated, “In the past, Kia cars were very neutral. When you saw one on the road, you didn’t really know if it was Korean or Japanese. I think it’s very important that you are able to recognise a Kia at first sight.”
Well, his successor, Karim Habib, now Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design, took these words to heart in the styling of the new Tasman, creating a vehicle with a radically different, edgy, and over-the-top boxy shape. This design immediately split opinions and caused controversy.
Whether you love it or hate it, the fact is that the Tasman looks different from any other bakkie (with perhaps the Mitsubishi Triton the closest in design execution). What is clear, though, is the design inspiration from Kia’s line of military vehicles, particularly the K131 Jeep light utility vehicle (also called KM320, developed by Asia Motors) of 1997, and its civilian counterpart, the Kia Retona.
The Tasman’s low-set yet prominent egg-crate grille, high frontal façade and vertical headlights on the outer edges have a distinctive military feel and prioritise ruggedness and functionality over traditional pickup styling, while the bulbous wheel arch bolsters are a redefinition of the wheel arch design on the Retona.
However, the newcomer’s unconventional (some call it “Mars Rover”) aesthetic is somewhat unbalanced, with the grille perhaps too low for the bulging nose, the wheel bolsters too prominent, and the wheels too small for the high, flat flanks. The Korean military version of the Tasman, with less bulging and more conventional wheel arches, is actually more attractive. Interestingly, the C-pillar styling has a definite Land Cruiser FJ feel.
DEVELOPED FROM THE GROUND UP
Representing one of the most significant product expansions in the brand’s local history (like the original Sportage), the Tasman has been developed from the ground up as a purpose-built double cab, engineered to meet both work and lifestyle user needs in some of the world’s toughest conditions.
As such, the Tasman is somewhat larger than the latest Ranger or Hilux, measuring 5,410 mm in length (90 mm longer than the Toyota and 40 mm longer than the Ford) and standing 1,930 mm wide, with a 3,270 mm wheelbase, which is longer than both its competitors.
Not only do these dimensions contribute to a commanding stance, but they also translate into a spacious cabin and a highly usable load bin featuring a square 1,512 mm-long and 1,512 mm-wide tub, with 1,186 mm between the wheel arches. It can carry a payload of up to 1,124 kg and, like its rivals, has a 3,500 kg braked towing capacity.
A robust yet conventional ladder-frame chassis, paired with a double-wishbone front suspension and a rigid rear axle with leaf springs, underpins the Tasman, and, according to Kia, it has a ground clearance of up to 252 mm and a wading depth of up to 800 mm.
CLASSY INTERIOR
Beyond its bold exterior, perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of the new Tasman is its classy, car-like interior, delivering an elevated in-cabin experience – as we found during a terrific road trip from Cape Town over the Cederberg towards Lambert’s Bay on the Cape West Coast.
The cabin ambience of the flagship X-Pro, equipped with the same integral digital display setup – combining a 12.3” driver cluster, a central infotainment screen, and a dedicated climate control interface – as found in the Carnival and Sorento, balances durability with comfort and offers generous space for front and rear occupants.
The premium leather seats with heating and ventilation in our top-spec X-Pro 4×4 Colour Coded variant were exceedingly comfortable, making our tour of the Cederberg wilderness area (in glorious sunny weather) a most memorable experience.
Unlike the more conservative interior detailing in rival bakkies, the Tasman has a dashboard finished with an interesting honeycomb pattern, a so-called “worktable” centre console, along with modern connectivity features, a heated steering wheel, a premium sound system, ambient lighting, and cooling for the central cupholders (in higher-spec models). However, the dash and door plastic trim is harder than some upmarket rivals.
The specifications include a comprehensive suite of safety technologies, ranging from adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance to blind-spot monitoring and autonomous emergency braking — reinforcing the Tasman’s positioning as a thoroughly modern interpretation of the double-cab bakkie.
PROVEN ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
As its on-road SUV and MPV siblings, the Tasman is powered by Kia’s proven and capable SmartStream 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, now coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission with low-range transfer case, a torque converter and (in top-spec models) a rear electronic differential lock.
In Tasman configuration, the quite smooth diesel mill delivers a healthy 154 kW of power at 3,800 rpm and 440 Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,750 rpm, the broad torque band and well-selected gear ratios allowing the engine to remain within its optimal operating range across a variety of driving conditions.
The combination worked very well to maintain relaxed cruising speeds during our journey. Add to this its Ranger- and Amarok-rivalling ride comfort across all road surfaces, and it soon became clear that the new Kia bakkie is also a great long-distance companion.
With five selectable driving modes (including Eco, Sport, Normal, and Tow) and dedicated terrain settings for low-grip conditions, the Tasman proved highly versatile, too. This we experienced on a sandy 4×4 track on a farm near Lambert’s Bay, where the X-Pro, with approach angles of 32.2°, departure angles of 26.2°, and a breakover angle of 25.8°, performed impressively in the dunes.
The X-Pro tackled steep inclines and uneven surfaces with confidence, while its X-TREK mode and Downhill Brake Control (DBC) system enabled controlled, low-speed progress over rough terrain. From this performance, it was clear that Kia has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the Tasman delivers genuine off-road capability.
Besides this, the Tasman has been engineered to meet the expectations of buyers who rely on their vehicles for serious work. Payload capacity exceeds one tonne, and a braked towing capacity of 3,500 kg places it firmly among the leaders in its class. The load bin has also been designed with practicality in mind, offering generous dimensions and a volume of over 1,300 litres (SAE).
For now, three derivatives of the Tasman are offered – comprising the workhorse-like entry-point Tasman LX 4×2 and LX 4×2 Colour Coded models, the visually more appealing Tasman SX 4×4 and SX 4×4 Colour Coded models, and the flagship Tasman X-Pro 4×4 and X-Pro 4×4 Colour Coded variants, with prices varying from R679,995 to just under R1 million. This includes a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and a six-year/90,000 km service plan.
LAST WORD
The introduction of the Tasman marks a pivotal moment for Kia South Africa. Entering the bakkie segment is no small undertaking, particularly in a market as competitive and brand loyal as South Africa’s. Judging by our first impressions, Kia did a great job with the Tasman.
By combining proven mechanical components with strong off-road capability, good performance with upper-level ride comfort, and finishing it off with a refined interior package, Kia is positioning the Tasman as a compelling alternative to established players. However, its unconventional, highly divisive exterior design can count against it when it comes to the final buying decision. Even so, the Tasman represents a commendable first effort from a non-traditional pickup brand, and while perhaps not aesthetically pleasing, it deserves a serious second look.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © KIA SOUTH AFRICA
