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Kia Tasman X-Line 2026 review: snapshot

EXPERT RATING
8.1

Likes

The specification sweet spot
Lush interior comfort
Fun and easy to drive

Dislikes

Getting up there in price
Ride quality isn’t the best on bumpy roads
A bit more engine muscle at this price point is needed
Byron Mathioudakis

Contributing Journalist

3 min read

The Kia Tasman X-Line is the luxury-focused flagship in the South Korean brand’s first one-tonne ute range, and in some ways represents the sweet spot.

Only available as a four-door Double Cab Pick-Up body style for now, the X-Line 4x4 kicks off from $67,990 before on-road costs, and comes standard with 4WD.

Befitting its higher positioning, it also ushers in a column shifter instead of a T-bar for the transmission, a larger centre console and a significantly more opulent presentation.

Standard features not found in lower grades such as the S, SX and SX+ include privacy glass, full synthetic leather trim, heated front seats (with the driver’s side powered), a reclining back seat with a centre armrest, projection headlights, a second wireless phone charger, paddle shifters, roof rails, a lockable rear wheel arch storage unit and remote parking assist – that allows the car to be slowly manoeuvred in and out of tight parking spots slowly from outside the vehicle. Clever.

2026 Kia Tasman X-Line
2026 Kia Tasman X-Line

These come on top of the other Tasman models’ LED fog lights, electric folding side mirrors, satellite navigation, ambient lighting, back-seat air vents, tub bedliner, 240V outlets, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, twin 12.3-inch instrumentation and multimedia displays, a seven-year subscription to connected services with over-the-air updates, under-seat storage, a reverse camera, rear-bumper steps, a lift-assist tailgate, 18-inch alloys and a full-sized spare wheel.

'Highway Drive Assist' with 'Lane-Change Assist', navigation-based smart cruise control, 4x4 terrain modes, seven airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, an integrated trailer brake controller, trailer-stability assist, hill-start assist, downhill brake control, multi-collision braking and tyre-pressure monitors are also part of the Kia’s safety specification.

Similarly, it is fitted with advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) for cyclists, pedestrians and junction turning/crossing, blind-spot alert, evasive steering assist, driver attention alert, safe-exit warning, rear cross-traffic alert and traffic sign recognition.

2026 Kia Tasman X-Line
2026 Kia Tasman X-Line

But the X-Line and X-Pro are alone with a blind-spot view monitor, front/side/rear reverse sensors with dash display, LED projection headlights, reverse parking collision avoidance, a surround-view camera and remote smart parking assist.

For now, it’s just the one engine for Tasman, and that’s the long-lived 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, driving either the rear or all four wheels via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

It produces 154kW of power at 3800rpm and 440Nm of torque between 1750-2750rpm, for a power-to-weight ratio of around 69kW/tonne. As such, it can scoot from 0-100km/h in 9.7 seconds.

2026 Kia Tasman X-Line
2026 Kia Tasman X-Line

The 4x4 system brings 2WD-High, 4WD-High and 4WD-Low modes, a mechanical rear diff lock and several off-road modes, but also has a 4A active 4x4 setting that automatically engages the front axle for extra traction as required.

A great deal of Australian tuning and testing went into the front (double-wishbone) and rear (leaf spring) suspension system. Ground clearance rises from the S/SX/SX+’s 206mm to 224mm.

Finally, the Tasman X-line’s official combined-average fuel consumption figure is 7.8L/100km, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 206g/km.

Read the full 2026 Kia Tasman review

Kia Tasman 2026: X-Line

Engine Type
Fuel Type
Fuel Efficiency
Seating 0
Price From $67,990

Pricing Guides

$56,368
Price is based on the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for the lowest priced Kia Tasman 2026 variant.
LOWEST PRICE
$38,010
HIGHEST PRICE
$74,990
Byron Mathioudakis

Contributing Journalist

Byron Mathioudakis connected with cars right from the start. His earliest memory is a dream of him driving an Austin A30. Soon after, Byron fell in love with movies watching Duel (1971) where a Valiant sedan takes on a murderous Peterbilt truck. Meanwhile, at Tottenham Primary, teacher Mr Chitty prised opened his world with Wheels magazines, later leading him to perform a one-person musical about the then-new Ford XD Falcon. Everyone thought he was strange. Eager to keep his car passion separate from work, he graduated from Advertising at RMIT, but wasn’t happy in that industry, so did the ‘90s Gen X thing of back-packing, with stints in hospitality, exploring his love of music working in a record store, tending bar, acting, dancing, modelling and even being a singing telegram, thankfully in faraway Canada. His eventual YouTube debut happened as an extra in a Violetine video of that era, You Know. Anyway, by 28, Byron realised he wanted to write about cars and nothing else, and on the eve of his 30th, landed a job at John Mellor’s Australian Automotive Business, a predecessor to GoAuto, where he still feels he belongs after four decades, breaking through with an unsolicited road test of his mother’s Peugeot 306. Going freelance in 1999, he worked at the long-defunct eauto.com.au (it’s still on Wayback Machine), then picked up a gig at Wheels magazine, citing 11 years of Car of the Year judging as a life-changing employment experience. Among scores of amazing people, it was there he became great friends with Peter Robinson, the editor of that first car magazine he devoured back in ’77. Do meet your heroes. In 2020, Byron started at CarsGuide, where he is a Contributing Journalist to this day. Other regular media outlets he writes for include the RAC WA and Australian Plumbing Industry Magazine. Note: though Byron has many old cars he loves, he has never owned an Austin A30, Valiant, XD Falcon or Peugeot 306. To paraphrase Bjork, to do so may break the charm. You can find Byron on LinkedIn. Education Associate Diploma in Advertising, RMIT | 1987-1990 Awards 2024 Newspress Australia Road Tester of the Year Featured Publications GoAuto | 1997-2022 Wheels | 2009-2021 CarsGuide | 2020-present RAC WA Australian Plumbing Industry Magazine
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$67,990
Lowest price, based on new car retail price.
For more information on
2026 Kia Tasman
See Pricing & Specs

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