A new pickup is heading to the global market, and this one might make it to the United States. The Kia Tasman has begun testing and could be a worldwide hit.
The new Tasman is larger than the Hyundai Santa Cruz, hitting the midsize truck market to give us an impressive truck to compete with some of the other midsize models. If this truck is sold in the United States, it will need to be built at the Kia factory here to avoid the 25% tariff placed on imported pickup trucks. This new Kia truck was seen testing in the United States which serves as a strong hint that it could be sold here.
Kia confirmed it and then tested it
The Tasman was recently confirmed for the Kia global lineup. This new Kia truck will initially go on sale in South Korea, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. Instead of the same unibody build of the Santa Cruz, this Kia truck will utilize a body-on-frame chassis to give it more power and performance on the road. Its unlikely this larger truck will share a powertrain with the Santa Cruz, instead, it could use the same powertrain as the midsize Telluride.
If the Kia Tasman shares a powertrain with the Telluride, it will include a naturally aspirated V6 engine that produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. That might not be enough to compete with the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, and GMC Canyon, but it might be enough to go toe-to-toe with the Honda Ridgeline.
Another powertrain option is the 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gas engine found in the Hyundai Sonata N-Line model. This powertrain is good for 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Of course, in foreign markets, this new truck could also utilize a turbocharged diesel engine that won’t pass muster in North America.
The testing model was covered in camouflage
The video showing the new Tasman testing in California shows a truck covered in heavy camouflage. This new Kia truck features a four-door, crew-cab body and upright, squared-off front end. One feature peaking out from under the camouflage is the set of vertical headlights that look like models found on the Telluride. Another visible feature of this truck is a set of six-spoke wheels that reside in cornered wheel arches that leave room for the wheels to travel. Although the front was covered in mesh, it allowed a view of vertical bars in the front grille to give this truck an aggressive front style.
When will this Kia truck be released?
Currently, we don’t know when the new Kia Tasman will be released. It will head to foreign markets before coming to America if it ever does make it to the United States. If this truck is sold here, it’s going to be up for some stiff competition from a class filled with extremely popular trucks. This new Kia truck could have the right level of power to make it a great truck, but we don’t know much else about the new Tasman.
What to drive in the meantime
If you’re waiting for this new Kia truck to hit American shores, you’ll probably have to wait a long time. The closest truck to what the Tasman might offer is the Honda Ridgeline. The biggest difference between the two right now is the Ridgeline is a unibody truck that’s already in the market. When the Tasman arrives, if it comes with the Telluride powertrain, it probably won’t tow more or be more capable than the Ridgeline.
Do we need another truck in the market?
The global market could probably use a new truck, and the Kia Tasman could be the perfect truck for many foreign markets. This new Kia could take some of the customers from the Toyota and Ford trucks in Australia and Africa. If this truck makes it to America, it might take some time for it to gain a foothold unless it offers something other trucks don’t.
Unlike the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick, which rejuvenated the compact pickup truck market in the United States, this new Kia is expected to enter the midsize truck class. This is a class that’s already packed with impressive trucks that take on the wilderness and take you wherever you want to go. Of course, we won’t know how good or bad the Tasman can be in the United States until it is sold here. Until then, this truck will remain a bit of a mystery that’s part of at least four foreign markets.
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