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Kia Australia has confirmed it has asked its Korean HQ to deliver a new-look Tasman that will help revive the ute's slow sales in our market, with the brand insisting "it has to work".
Tasman reviews often point positively to the vehicle's cabin, ride and capability, with the controversial exterior design proving the one lingering weakness.
The Tasman is off to a slow-start in Australia, falling short of its 1666 monthly/20,000 annually target, though the brand is still confident of hitting that number as fleet agreements fall into place. In December 2025, just 480 units found homes.
Asked when Kia in Australia would ask its Korean HQ to update the look, a spokesperson replied "you're assuming we haven't already".
"We've been quite vocal, and we always have been with this car in particular," they said. "We're very vocal with our superiors, and up front. We're definitely being very deliberate in what we think might be hampering its sales performance.
"If we want to be a third of the total production volume, they've got to be receptive.
As to when we could expect it, the model's mid-life facelift is the most likely timeframe, with the brand citing the costs associated with a "major redesign".
Asked if we can expect an update, the spokesperson replied "I think you can".
"But it's not necessarily going to happen at the speed at which you might feel the market might be thinking," they said. "Because a major redesign, it's not simple. And when you've already invested in tooling for sheet metal and tooling for plastics, it's a multi-million-dollar process."
While the brand wouldn't be drawn on timeframes, it later pointed out that Kia's facelift windows can be two to three years, which – given the Tasman launched in 2025 – could see 2027 or 2028 as the potential window.
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