From out of left discipline, Kia has introduced will probably be launching a new pick-up truck someday subsequent 12 months. It’s referred to as the Tasman, named after the island of Tasmania in Australia, and is claimed to “redefine the idea of a life-style pick-up.”

This assertion, together with the model calling it a “C-segment pick-up truck”, initially means that this can merely be a rebadge of the passenger car-based Hyundai Santa Cruz. Nonetheless, it’s been reported that Kia is as a substitute going it alone and constructing a correct body-on-frame one-tonne truck, just like the all-conquering Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi Triton. These reviews have been backed up by spyshots of a much more boxy, high-riding prototype in comparison with the extra road-biased Hyundai.

All this tracks with the affirmation that, in contrast to the North America-only Santa Cruz, the Tasman will likely be offered in international markets like Australia, Africa and the Center East – areas that overwhelmingly desire ladder-frame vans over their monocoque brethren. This, in fact, raises the likelihood that the truck will likely be supplied in Southeast Asia, significantly in Thailand (and sure, Malaysia too) the place one-tonne vans reign supreme.

No technical particulars have been launched, however Kia already has the constructing blocks for an honest pick-up, not least the two.2 litre R four-cylinder turbodiesel lengthy utilized in fashions just like the Sorento and Carnival. In its newest type, it produces 202 PS and 440 Nm of torque, which is aggressive – if not class-leading – with different fashions within the one-tonne truck phase. A decrease 177 PS/431 Nm tune additionally exists, powering the Hyundai Staria. The mill is mated to an eight-speed computerized gearbox as commonplace.

Kia additionally has entry to a plug-in hybrid powertrain to fulfill rising demand for electrified pick-up vans. This pairs a 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol four-pot with a 90 hp electrical motor, which within the Sorento develops a complete output of 264 PS and delivers an all-electric vary of 51 km due to a 13.8 kWh battery. Such a powertrain will assist the Tasman compete with the Ranger PHEV.

Previous spyshots and movies have proven a big double-bed pick-up that bears all of the hallmarks of conventional one-tonne fashions, together with an upright design with plenty of angular strains and chiselled surfaces. Added to which might be the newest Kia design cues, corresponding to a large “tiger nostril” grille and vertical headlights, just like the facelifted Sorento and Carnival.

There are additionally some distinctive touches, like thick black physique cladding that solely covers the higher a part of the fenders. Elsewhere, you’ll discover a strong rear axle and leaf springs on the again, whereas a toggle for choosing two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and low-range all-wheel drive is positioned on the centre console. This hints at how severely the Korean carmaker is taking constructing a rugged truck for harsh environments.

Kia’s new one-tonne truck was first introduced again in 2021 as a “strategic” car for rising markets. That is one in every of two pick-ups being developed, the opposite being a pure electrical mannequin that can doubtless tackle full-size US rivals just like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, Chevrolet Silverado EV and Tesla Cybertruck.

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