2025 Kia Tasman: Everything we know so far about the new Kia ute set to rival the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max dual-cab pick-ups

Kia broke the internet when it officially revealed it was developing a dual-cab ute with a star-studded advertisement earlier this year.

We now know the new dual-cab will be called Tasman but other details of the most hotly anticipated arrival of 2025 are scarce.

Kia Australia has had a huge say in its development according to Kia Australia Head of Product Planning Roland Rivero.

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“It’s a different sport to every other product that has come to market in Australia,” said Rivero.

“The number of visitors that have come from HQ, the vehicles that have been purchased by HQ and torn apart and looked into in every last detail. We are very grateful to provide this much input and feedback, but with that comes greater responsibility and accountability.”

“We’ve got a target we must achieve and have committed to with HQ,” he said.

Speculation is rife and rumours are swirling about what the ute will look like and what its capabilities will be.

This is everything we know so far.

What engine will the 2025 Kia Tasman use?

Kia has the market-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in its sights. 

Rivero said the Tasman will have non-negotiables. 

These include a five-star ANCAP safety rating, a three-and-half tonne tow rating and greater than a one-tonne payload. It is likely to be available in two- and four-wheel-drive layouts.

The Tasman is likely to use a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that matches the best-selling versions of the Ranger and HiLux.

The most likely motor from Kia’s parts bin is the 2.2-litre turbo diesel used in the Sorento that makes 148kW and 440Nm and matched to an eight-speed automatic.

Kia has shown the Tasman wearing heavy camouflage

Kia is likely to force more power out of this to match the Ranger’s 154kW and 500Nm and the HiLux’s 150kW and 500Nm.

It appears V6 power - to match range-topping versions of the Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok - is off the table for now.

Working against a V6 are the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES), which will penalise heavy polluting vehicles from next year.

“What we’ll launch with is the volume areas of the category, and I think you’ll find that of the 63,000 Rangers that were sold last year and the 61,000 HiLuxes sold last year there is a huge component of those that are still four-cylinders,” said Rivero.

It will be built on a rugged ladder frame so buyers can expect proper off-road capability and four-wheel-drive grip.

Kia applies a local ride and handling tune to its range in Australia, which means the brand adapts the suspension to suit Australian roads and driving conditions. This should translate to a ute that drives near the top end of its class.

What will the 2025 Kia Tasman look like?

Kia has shown the Tasman wearing heavy camouflage so we have an idea of the basic look but the devil is in the detail.

The above render shows the small vertical LED headlights borrowed directly from the camouflaged prototype revealed by Kia.

There are chunky wheel arches wrapped in black cladding and a small double decker front grille.

Front tow hooks give an indication the Tasman is ready to rumble off road as does chunky all-terrain rubber.

It matches its rivals with a boxy hard-edged silhouette with some soft edges on the front end along with an oddly-shaped bonnet panel. 

Inside there is plenty of Kia’s SUV range. Spy shots show off dual 12.3-inch displays - one for the multimedia and the other for the driver’s instruments - that are found in vehicles such as the Sorento.

There is a flat-bottomed steering wheel and the air-con vents are covered with a latticework mesh.

We have an idea of the basic look.

The days of cheap Kias are gone, so don’t expect the Tasman to be priced similar to price leaders from Chinese brands such as the GWM Ute Cannon and the JAC T9 that start in the low-$40,000 range.

Kia is unlikely to price the Tasman above the Ranger or HiLux, which both start at about $49,000 before on-road costs for the XL 4x4 dual-cab and Workmate 4x4 dual-cab respectively.

Kia will boost value by covering the Tasman with the brand’s seven-year/unlimited km warranty.

When will the 2025 Kia Tasman go on sale?

Kia Australia hinted the Tasman would be revealed in full before the end of the year and expect pre-orders to open at a similar time.

The Tasman is expected to be built at the company's Hwaseon, Korea factory according to reports.

Kia is clearing the decks at the plant and discontinuing the K3 and Mohave models, which are currently built there.

Production of the Tasman is slated to start in February next year, which puts its timeline for Australian arrivals about the end of March or early April 2025.

Kia is chasing big sales of up to 25,000 a year and Australia will be one of the biggest markets for the Tasman, so supply should be plentiful.