Australia's newest police car?! 2025 Kia Tasman ute testing out for Australia's police forces along with Ford's Ranger, Toyota's HiLux and Isuzu D-Max

2025 Kia Tasman

Kia has confirmed to CarsGuide its Tasman ute is currently being evaluated by police forces around Australia.

It was back in March this year that Kia mocked up a Tasman ute in policy livery during a display day in Tasmania. At the time CarsGuide asked if Kia hoped the nation's police forces would recruit the Tasman ute but Kia was unable to comment.

Three months later and we asked the question again and this time the answer was more concrete.

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“Yes, multiple jurisdictions are considering and are interested,” Kia Australia’s General Manager of Product Planning Roland Rivero told CarsGuide.

“However, they will all need to go through their respective evaluation and testing process, with a production vehicle.

“Much like Stinger and more recently EV6, the process can take 3-6 months. We won't know if Tasman will be selected until after.”

Powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine making 154kW and 440Nm, and with a brake towing capacity of 3500kg the Tasman can match the Toyota’s HiLux for grunt and pulling power, and with four-wheel drive should be able to provide all the off-road capability and utility needed by Aussie Police forces.

Kia has a history of enlisting its vehicles in the nation's police forces with the EV6, Stinger and Sorento SUV serving.

Volkswagen also has a large contract with the nation's police forces providing the Passat sedan and Tiguan SUV in large numbers. Toyota is an enomours provider of general duties vehicles, particularly in the form of the Camry sedan.

BMW provides 530d sedans to the New South Wales Highway Patrol unit, while the Federal Police use the BMW X5 as part of security around the Prime Minister.

2025 Kia Tasman (Image: Shaun Green)

As for utes the nation's police forces make use of the Ford Ranger, the Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara and Isuzu D-Max. A Kia Tasman police ute does make sense given the Korean brand’s strong association with Australia's police forces over the past decade.