Kia Enters the Ute Market
Kia has launched its first-ever pickup truck — the Tasman — in a direct bid for a share of the New Zealand ute market that the Ford Ranger has dominated for years. The Tasman is not a badge-engineered version of an existing vehicle. It is a purpose-built body-on-frame truck designed from the outset for load-carrying, towing, and off-road capability, with 1,777 tests conducted across 18,000 evaluation cycles in environments ranging from Sweden to the UAE and the Australian Outback.
The Numbers That Matter for Tradespeople
For construction and contracting use, the core capability numbers are:
- Payload: up to 1,151 kilograms — competitive with the category’s top performers
- Towing: 3,500 kilograms braked — covering most trailer combinations used in the trades
- Ground clearance: up to 252 millimetres in the X-Pro model, with approach and departure angles of 32.2 and 26.2 degrees
- Water fording: up to 800 millimetres — relevant for rural sites and track access after heavy rain
- Cargo volume: 1,212 litres in the tray
Engine Options
The Tasman is offered with two engine options: a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel producing 210 PS and 441 Nm of torque, and a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol producing 281 PS and 421 Nm. The diesel variant covers 0-100 kilometres per hour in 10.4 seconds; the petrol in 8.5 seconds. For most workhorse applications — consistent towing, loaded site access, daily driving — the diesel’s torque characteristics will be the preferred specification.
4WD Capability
The X-Pro variant’s 4WD system includes a two-speed active transfer case, an electronic locking rear differential, and an X-Trek crawl control mode for low-speed precision on difficult terrain. For tradespeople accessing rural and off-road sites, these features provide meaningful capability beyond what most of the market offers at equivalent price points.
Worksite Practicalities
The tray design includes tie-down rails along the full perimeter, integrated tray lighting, and a 220-volt inverter for powering tools directly from the vehicle. A trailer brake controller is standard, simplifying setup for trailer towing without aftermarket additions. The premium cabin specification — reclining rear seats, a panoramic digital display, Harman Kardon sound — reflects Kia’s positioning across lifestyle and work users rather than targeting solely the work-spec market.
