Jayco Penguin vs Kia Tasman

What's the difference?

At nearly $25,000 the Penguin can't really be called cheap, but what does make it worth a look is the completely contained living space – the sitting, sleeping and cooking are all done inside, and that's a boon when the weather turns.

It's ideal if you want the comfort of a caravan without the bulk of one, and the ease of towing a more traditional camper-trailer offers, without the struggle of set-up.

The new Kia Tasman X-Line might not win everyone over with its styling, but as the saying goes, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And in this case, Kia has delivered a ute that stacks up impressively where it matters most with its passenger comfort, towing ability, and on-road manners.

It also offers relative good value for the segment and plenty of thoughtful features for families and weekend DIYers. I’ve grown to like it and judging by my son’s enthusiasm, Kia has at least one very young brand ambassador already sold.

Inside, the layout is simple, but comfortable for two people. The rear of the camper is dominated by the east-west oriented bed.

The dinette, to the front of the camper, is cosy and only good for two people. It does actually fold down into a second bed for a third body (or a second body who's not allowed in the first bed), but although there's sleeping for three, seating that many would be difficult. Maybe a small grandchild, occasionally. It's comfortable, though and both seats lift up to reveal a little extra storage. There's even a hidey-hole behind the driver's side back-rest.

Typical of all campers of this sort, the bench heights are low and will frustrate taller people who need to stoop to use them.

This camper has a canvas skirt, but really there's more see-through plastic window than actual canvas, so it's quite panoramic inside. It's not hard to gain a bit of privacy, though; there's a dark tint to them so it's hard to see through during the day, and all the windows have curtains, so you can shut everything out, easily enough.

Lighting is simple, with just two LED lights in the roof, although unless you pay extra for a battery, they'll only work at powered sites.

The Kia Tasman impresses when it comes to passenger space. This is a genuine five-seater for adults, which is remarkable for a ute that hasn’t gone full-American-behemoth like a Ram or Chevrolet.

At 168cm (5' 6") the only small challenge for me is the lack of side steps because with its 224mm ground clearance and higher seating, climbing in and out can be a bit of a workout, especially on a slope.

Surprisingly, my eight-year-old had little trouble getting in, though he’s not always graceful on the exit. Expect to lend a hand with younger kids.

Seat comfort is excellent across both rows. Long seat bases provide proper under-thigh support and padding is generous. Both front seats are heated across three levels, though it’s a bit disappointing that only the driver’s seat is electric at this grade.

The rear bench is wide enough to comfortably fit three adults, and the flat floor ensures legroom is consistent for everyone. ISOFIX child-seat mounts and top-tether anchor points are present on the outboard seats, though there’s none in the middle, which might disappoint larger families.

Storage options are abundant, making the cabin easy to keep tidy. Up front, there are dual glove boxes - one large enough for more than just the manual and another more well-suited to a phone and wallet.

The middle console is shallow but long and features a 12-volt socket and a lid that flips over to create a picnic tray. There are a couple of generously-sized cupholders and drink bottle holders in each row, perfect if you have one of those emotional support water bottles!

The centre console also houses most of the charging options, including two USB-C ports and two wireless charging pads. There are another two USB-C ports unusually placed on the dash.

The rear offers zipped soft map pockets, device holders on the backs of the front seats, and more in the fold-down armrest.

The rear bench slides forward in a 60/40 split, and the seat bases lift to reveal 31L of storage, when accommodating the jack. Rear passengers also enjoy directional air vents, two USB-C ports and a 240-volt domestic outlet.

Technology in the cabin is mostly intuitive. The touchscreen is responsive, wireless Apple CarPlay is easy to connect, and the built-in sat nav comes with 10 years of map updates.

My only minor gripe is the climate control panel, as the steering wheel occasionally blocks it and the toggle symbols can be tricky to read.

Outside, the tray offers solid practicality with a soft-drop tailgate, full-size spare wheel, LED tray lights, and a payload capacity of 1027kg.

Tray dimensions are 1512mm H x 1572mm W x 540mm D, giving 1173L of storage, plus an extra 240-volt domestic outlet for DIY or worksite convenience.

Because the Penguin is so light – as mentioned above – and because the towing height is just 1660mm, lower than the roof of most cars and certainly below that of SUVs, it's easy to tow, even if you don't have the largest 4WD to haul it around.

The Subaru Forester I tested this camper with, for instance, did the job quite well and would be ideal if you towed the camper down the coast a few times a year.

Underneath, the camper's got a simple beam axle with leaf slipper springs and shock absorbers. They do a commendable job and, as this is a purely on-road camper, there's no need for it to be anything else.

The X-Line has enough power to feel confident on the open road, though I’d have liked a touch more grunt for overtaking or quick acceleration.

The eight-speed automatic shifts smoothly most of the time, but occasionally drops out of lower gears a bit too quickly, giving a slightly luggy feel when you need an extra burst of speed.

The higher ride height has its pros and cons. Visibility is excellent and you can see the road ahead clearly but it can act a bit like a windsail on the highway, pushing the ute around in strong crosswinds. There’s some roll through corners, though less than I expected.

A practical consideration for families is that from the driver’s seat, it’s often tricky to see small children or pets near the car, so vigilance is key when they’re outside the vehicle!

Ride comfort is decent for a ute. The Tasman absorbs most bumps with ease, though it’s not always perfectly poised on rougher surfaces. Overall, it’s a comfortable open-roader and the cabin remains relatively quiet despite the rumbling turbo-diesel engine.

At over 5.4m in length with a 12.3m turning circle, manoeuvring takes a bit of planning. Thankfully, the 360-degree camera system, along with front, side, and rear parking sensors helps a lot, though I feel more comfortable backing in than reversing out of tight spaces.