Kia Tasman vs Lotus Emeya

What's the difference?

Ute buyers prepared to look beyond the Tasman’s polarising appearance will discover a competent all-rounder. It has its faults like any ute but boasts high standards of engineering, build quality, interior design and performance that make it a worthy new competitor in this space.

As both the conclusion to this Lotus trilogy, but also a car in its own right, the Emeya earns a positive review. It was fitting that I happened to drive the brand’s three newest models in the order I did - Emira, Eletre, Emeya - because it turned out to be the most interesting way to experience them.

The Emira is the swansong for Lotus as we knew it, while also giving a hint of what is to come, while the Eletre rockets into a dramatically different realm. But the Emeya manages to combine elements of both - the dynamic edge from the Emira with the luxurious and electric influence of the Eletre - resulting in a very likeable modern sports sedan.

The Tasman is claimed to have more Australian input than any previous Kia model and it certainly has a distinctive ‘Australianised’ competence in the way it performs (see Driving).

It also follows a reassuringly conventional engineering path with its turbo-diesel drivetrain, body-on-ladder-frame-chassis, twin wishbone/coil-spring front suspension, leaf-spring live rear axle, four-wheel disc brakes and electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering.

The Tasman is no shrimp either, as it shares the same 3270mm wheelbase as the market-leading Ford Ranger and is slightly longer and wider.

Work-focused light commercials are often armoured with unpainted plastic in areas prone to bumps and scrapes. The Tasman S 4x2 follows convention here too with dark grey plastic prominent at the front, rear and along the sides, where unusual ‘eyebrows’ are positioned above the wheel-arches which every onlooker we spoke to said looked better in body colour.

The S 4x2 shares the same 206mm ground clearance, 800mm wading depth and approach/ramp breakover/departure angles as its S, SX and SX+ 4x4 siblings. However, they also share a shallow approach angle of only 20 degrees, which is considerably less than its previously-mentioned rival 4x2 models.

The lower ‘spoiler’ section of the front bumper seems largely responsible for this, as it looks too close to the ground and vulnerable to damage from a farmer’s rocky creek-bed crossing or a tradie’s rugged worksite.

The black and grey interior is a functional and spacious design (see Practicality) which looks and feels more upmarket than typical base-model offerings. It has the coolest doorhandles we’ve seen in a ute, which although made of a composite material look like machined steel, complete with a lathe-like knurled finish on the finger-pulls.

There’s also soft-touch surfaces on the door armrests to optimise elbow comfort plus contrasting hard-surface finishes including honeycomb and diagonal patterns, two-tone fabric seat trim with exposed stitching and neat embossed grooves across the seat-facings.

It may be a contemporary electric sedan, but the latest Lotus design language does have a clear visual connection to the brand’s most iconic model - the Esprit. The angular lines create a wedge-like silhouette that harks back to the 1980s Esprit, albeit with a more modern appearance.

It does also have some less glamorous angles, especially around the rear three-quarter but it certainly doesn’t fall into the trap of having the non-descript, aerodynamic shape that some EVs can.

Inside the cabin is very luxurious and premium, taking the same styling from the Eletre and carrying it over. That means a very slim instrument display and a very large central screen for the multimedia systems. 

The overall level of fit and finish is impressive and gives the Emeya an unmistakably high-end feeling.

With its 2126kg kerb weight and 3250kg GVM, our test vehicle has a mighty 1124kg payload rating which is the largest available in the Tasman fleet. And up to 100kg of that can be carried on the roof.

Like its 4x4 siblings, the 4x2 model is rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer but with its 6200kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) the payload would need to be capped at 574kg (a reduction of 550kg) to avoid exceeding the GCM.

Although few (if any) owners would need to tow 3500kg, it’s important to be aware of these numbers if you did to avoid overloading. Even so, almost 600kg of payload would still allow for a crew of five and their gear when towing the maximum trailer weight, so this is a useful set of numbers for many working roles.

Internally the load tub is 1573mm long, 1600mm wide and 543mm deep with a load volume exceeding 1.3 cubic metres. And with 1186mm between the rear wheel-housings, it can carry either Aussie or Euro pallets.

The tailgate can be opened remotely and its hinges provide opening/closing assistance. There’s no standard tub-liner but it comes with four load-anchorage points positioned at around mid-height.

There’s ample cabin space for the driver and front passenger plus storage including a bottle-holder and bin in each door, a single glovebox and a centre console with a large open tray at the front with USB-C ports, two cupholders in the centre and a large box at the back with an internal 12v socket and padded lid which doubles as a comfy elbow rest.

Rear cabin access is enhanced by doors that open to almost 90 degrees and Kia claims the rear bench seat offers best-in-class legroom, headroom and shoulder-room. Even so, it would still be a shoulder squeeze for three big Aussies (like all dual cabs short of a full-size US pick-up) so a limit of two would be preferable for long trips.

Rear storage includes a bottle holder and bin in each door plus pockets on the front seat backrests and a slender pocket on the rear of the console ideal for storing phones. A couple of USB ports would be handy here too, but we are talking base-grade.

There’s also no fold-down centre armrest at this level but the bench seat's 60:40-split base cushions can swing up and be stored vertically if more internal cargo space is required, or to access a full-width bin that can store heaps of stuff away from prying eyes.

Even though the Emeya carries over much of the same interior design as the Eletre SUV, it’s still not the most practical sedan.

There are two cupholders in the centre console, a small shelf underneath the wireless smartphone charging pad and a centre console box, but aside from that, there’s no other significant storage space in the front.

The door pockets are quite narrow and while very plush, the cabin feels more like a sports car than a luxury limo.

The multimedia system, which runs through a 15.1-inch HD OLED screen looks very slick and is fairly easy to use, but does take a couple of days to get comfortable with it completely.

Where the Emeya impresses inside is with its space, the front seats are comfortable and offer good support, but in the back there’s a generous amount of room.

This is thanks to the length of the Emeya, which is why it looks a little awkward from some angles externally but it has allowed Lotus to create more internal room.

The Emeya is nearly 200mm longer than the Taycan overall and in its wheelbase, creating more legroom in the rear for passengers.

Those in the back also get access to a small screen to control the air-conditioning, recline their seats and even adjust the glass roof between opaque and clear. There’s also two USB-C ports and a pair of cupholders in the central armrest.

There are three models in the sedan’s line-up - Emeya, Emeya S and Emeya R. We tested the middle of the range model, which is priced from $209,990 (plus on-road costs). The range begins at $189,990, while the Emeya R crowns the line-up at nearly $259,990.

For comparison, the Porsche Taycan RWD is priced from $175,100 and the Taycan 4S from $216,300, while Audi’s e-tron GT is priced from $181,784 and the RS model from just over $250,484. Which means the Emeya is certainly in the same ballpark as its key rivals, giving the brand a good chance to compete against the more established pair. 

Befitting Lotus’ new premium era, standard equipment is a long list of luxuries and technology, including matrix LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, air suspension, keyless entry and start, a key card with NFC (Near Field Communication) function, four-zone climate control, eight-way power adjustable front seats and heated front seats.

There’s also a KEF 1380-watt premium sound system with 15 speakers plus a wireless charging pad as well as a 12.6-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.10-inch OLED central multimedia screen.

Stepping up to the Emeya S adds 21-inch wheels, lightweight brake discs with six-piston calipers, ambient light and sports pedals. While the Emeya R gets a unique powertrain, its own 21-inch alloys, 'Track Mode', active roll bar and rear-wheel steering. 

All Tasmans share the same 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel that produces 154kW of power at 3800rpm and 440Nm of torque across a 1000rpm-wide band between 1750-2750rpm, which showcases flexibility that's well suited to hauling and/or towing heavy loads.

This engine is paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic offering the choice of sequential manual-shifting and five selectable drive modes comprising Normal (default), Eco, Sport, Tow and MyDrive with the latter allowing custom settings.

The switch to electrification means Lotus has been able to share the same powertrains from the Eletre with the Emeya. Not that it’s a bad thing from a performance perspective, with the Emeya and Emeya S dual motors making 450kW and 710Nm.

The Emeya R gets more powerful motors - producing a seriously impressive 675kW and 985Nm - and a two-speed transmission for faster acceleration.

Lotus claims the Emeya and Emeya S can run 0-100km/h in a rapid 4.1 seconds, while the Emeya R takes just 2.7 seconds. Top speed for the Emeya is 250km/h, while the R is slightly faster at 256km/h.

Kia claims combined average consumption of 7.4L/100km and the dash display was showing 8.3 when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 591km test, which included suburban, city, highway and backroad driving of which about 120km was hauling its near-maximum payload.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in higher again at 9.6 which is still within the usual 2-3L/100km discrepancy between lab-based official figures and real-world numbers. That's also excellent sub-10L economy for a vehicle weighing more than two tonnes operating mostly in urban settings.

So, based on our own consumption figure, you could expect a realistic driving range of more than 800km from its 80-litre diesel tank.

All three Emeya variants share the same 102kWh lithium-ion battery and 800-volt architecture. Lotus claims the entry-grade and Emeya S models have a WLTP range of between 500-610km, while the more powerful R can manage between 435-485km. Thanks to its lower, sleeker body that’s approximately 75km and 35km more than the equivalent Eletre.

Lotus also claims the Emeya is one of the fastest charging EVs on the market today, capable of going from  10 to 80 per cent capacity in just 14 minutes when using a 400kW DC fast charger. 

There’s no cabin side-steps but large handles on the A and B pillars assist climbing aboard. People of most shapes and sizes can find a comfortable driving position given its supportive seating, large left footrest and height/reach-adjustable steering wheel featuring a flat top to optimise forward vision and a flat base to provide ample torso room.

It exudes solidity in its engineering and build quality along with excellent steering feel, handling and braking. It also has energetic acceleration and all-round performance.

We trialled the sequential manual-shifting and selectable drive modes but spent most of our test in the ‘Normal’ default setting as it provides the best compromise. It’s also a low-stressed highway cruiser requiring only 1600rpm to maintain 100km/h and little more for 110km/h.

The unladen ride quality is firm, as you’d expect given its big payload rating, but it’s more supple than some other 4x2 one-tonners we’ve tested without loads.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 890kg into the load tub, which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of 1070kg which was only about 50kg below its legal limit.

Under this weight, the large bump-stop rubbers fitted to the rear leaf-springs engaged with the chassis rails above them very early in compression, which eliminated the hard thuds experienced with traditional designs that ‘bottom-out’ over large bumps and through dips.

The Tasman proved to be a competent heavy load-hauler in ‘Normal’ drive mode, maintaining its hearty performance and sure-footed handling with more than one tonne on board.

It also made light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h, self-shifting down to third gear to easily haul this load to the summit.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually selected second gear, was equally strong until the engine reached 4000rpm on overrun (no redline is displayed) and promptly shifted up a gear.

These engine-protection protocols are increasingly common in light-commercial vehicles (both utes and vans) but can spring a surprise when you’re ‘leaning’ on the engine to restrain its payload during steep descents and it suddenly shifts up a gear and starts running away from you. Even so, the Tasman’s four disc brakes easily maintained the posted 60km/h speed limit for the remainder of the descent.

Overall, we struggled to find fault in the driving experience apart from one baffling oversight in cabin design, given the steering wheel’s rim blocks the driver’s view of the climate control screen located between the instrument and multimedia screens.

This is distracting for drivers, given climate control settings are among the most-adjusted cabin functions. Hopefully this will be corrected in future upgrades.

When I drove the Eletre I was struck by the challenges of making modern electric vehicles feel unique and special across each brand. There is a ‘generic’ level of performance that makes it hard to tell the difference between a Lotus or BMW or another EV. 

That’s noticeably less of an issue with the Emeya, which may be bigger and heavier than the brand’s former sports cars, but it does have a surprisingly agile and responsive chassis when you get it out on the open road.

Lotus may be leaning on Geely for its EV knowledge, but when it comes to ride and handling, the British brand has a deep well of talent and experience to draw from.

Does it feel as agile and dynamic as the Emira or an Exige? Of course not, but it is a genuinely enjoyable and engaging car to drive. Certainly compared to its direct rivals, the Emeya has no trouble holding its own on a challenging section of winding road.

Safety is another area where Lotus has made dramatic changes as part of its luxurious makeover, adding a huge amount of the latest technology. As such, all Australian Emeyas are equipped with 'Lotus Pilot Pack' which includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, driver monitoring and traffic sign information, as well as front park assist and rear park assist, to help you get into your spot.

There’s also the optional Highway Assist Pack, which includes four LIDAR while also using cameras and other sensors to allow for mild-autonomous driving capability; which is a dramatic change for a brand that was once only focused on making the driver feel fully engaged.

Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have tested the Emeya, as the safety authority rarely tests such expensive and niche models.

It comes with Kia’s excellent seven-year/unlimited km warranty, plus 12 months complimentary roadside assistance which is renewed each year for up to eight years if serviced by an authorised Kia dealer.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km whichever occurs first. Capped-pricing applies to the first seven scheduled services up to seven years/105,000km totalling $3971, or a pay-as-you-go average of $567 annually. Alternatively, Kia offers pre-paid servicing packages with cost savings for three, five or seven-year terms.

There are currently more than 160 Kia dealerships across Australia, which also provide vehicle servicing.

Lotus Australia doesn’t offer capped price servicing, so you’ll need to discuss the on-going maintenance costs for your Emeya with your local dealer. The recommended service interval is 24 months or 30,000km.

However, every new Lotus model is covered by a five-year/150,000km warranty for the car, with eight-year/200,000km cover for the drive battery.