Kia Tasman faces design changes

KIA’S long-awaited Tasman ute launches in Australia in July, but poor reactions to its styling have triggered a design change that could be in place within three years.

Despite the blunt-nosed styling that has led to unfavourable comments, the ute has already had 20,000 expressions of interest in Australia.

Kia Australia said it saw the Tasman as securing 10 per cent of the country’s ute market, which in 2024 achieved 230,000 sales representing 19 per cent of the total market.

The potential of the ute has also led to Kia announcing 10 more dealers, adding to its current network of 139 dealers, but only in rural Australia.

“The increase will be in answer to the imminent launch of (Kia’s new ute) Tasman, but there won't be any more major metropolitan dealer points,” said Kia Australia CEO Damien Meredith.

Kia is aiming at new dealerships in centres that Mr Meredith said would include Mt Isa and Roma in Queensland, and Kalgoorlie and Karratha in Western Australia.

“These are being opened because of Tasman and are in areas where we previously haven’t had representation,” he added.

“Now, with Tasman, dealers in those PMAs have got a reason.”

Kia plans to launch the Tasman in Australia in July, making it the first export market with the latest Kia ute.

The ute was instigated by Kia Australia and pressed as a ‘must have’ by its CEO Damien Meredith about a decade ago but much of the delays centred on the cost of creating a new model for one market – Australia.

Subsequently, GoAuto has learnt that the US has also indicated it wants the ute, with some additional interest now coming from Europe.

It is already slated for the Middle East, Africa and Korea.

The interest by the US and Europe accelerated Kia’s development of the ute and led to the marketing push that chose the nameplate of Tasman.

Kia has also taken on board complaints about the styling of the Tasman, particularly as it is now intended for additional markets. The ute was an in-house design.

Although not announced publicly, the ladder-frame Tasman was designed as a utilitarian workhorse with the accent on durability and reliability. Its blunt-nose styling reflected this workhorse role.

But GoAuto has learnt that there are already plans for a revised design that is likely to appear as a mid-life upgrade or second-generation model, styled more in the current ute design that comes closer to adopting SUV external features.

Much of the change in design comes as Kia looks at the US market which has expressed interest in adding the model to its range.

Kia will sell the Tasman in Australia with the Hyundai-Kia 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine but will also offer it in other markets with a 2.4-litre petrol engine.

It has recently finalised its bespoke suspension and steering changes made for the Australian market, including substantial work on the leaf-sprung live rear axle.