LDV Terron 9 vs Kia Tasman

What's the difference?

Need a dual-cab ute? You’re in luck. Not only does Australia have access to a huge variety of makes and models in the dual-cab space, there is also a huge range of prices and equipment levels.

The sweet spot for Aussie buyers, though, seems to be the dual-cab layout with four-wheel drive and enough convenience and safety gear to make the vehicle a viable family car as well as a work truck when necessary. Which is precisely where the Chinese brands including GWM, BYD and LDV have targeted their current ranges.

There’s been a lot of chat about such vehicles lately, but rather than let the formula stagnate, LDV has ushered in the Terron 9, a dual-cab that, size-wise, falls roughly between the familiar makes and models and the full-sized American-made stuff. This is a crucial point, too, as the Terron 9’s extra size might be a hint on where the dual-cab market is going generally. Certainly, every other class of car and ute is creeping up in size, why not dual-cabs too?

Like the other Chinese brands, of course, the Terron 9’s appeal will largely be based on value for money, so it’s worth picking the car apart to find out how it stands in that regard. But this is 2025, so the Terron 9 is also going to have to produce the goods in terms of driving ability and safety, that modern dual-cab buyers are looking for.

Kia expects its all-new Tasman to be a key player in Australia’s highly competitive ute segment. And to its credit, the Korean manufacturer has created its contender from scratch, rather than taking the easier platform-sharing route favoured by some rivals.

However, judging by feedback from numerous locals during our test, the jury is out on whether Aussies will warm 'en masse' to its bold styling and confronting appearance, which tends to distract from the capable vehicle beneath.

So, given our tradie focus, we recently spent a week in the lowest-priced entry point for Tasman dual-cab ute ownership, to see how it measures up as a tool-of-trade for tradies, farmers or fleets wanting a back-to-basics workhorse.