Kia launches its first truck, the Tasman, in the US

Building a truck is a brave move that’s all the braver when you lock eyes on the Tasman because, it’s fair to say, it is not a looker. With its headlights hidden in the wheel arches, the Tasman looks like a subterranean species that exists in pitch darkness and, thus, has no need for sight. There’s none of the face-like feel you get from a car with two headlights and a grille. 

That said, placing the headlights to the sides and behind the grille should help keep them protected and they live on the Tasman’s other distinctive styling feature – its lozenge-shaped wheel arches that double as storage units. Round the back, Kia’s new company logo is stamped into the steel like the branding on a life-sized Tonka toy. 

Conventionally pretty or not, the Tasman is distinctive and can be had with a choice of nine colours, from a range of whites and greys to Cityscape Green, Runway Red and new hues Tan Beige and Denim Blue. You can also choose from a variety of body shapes including Single Decker, Double Decker, Sports Bar and Ladder Rack. 

Inside, the truck’s layout will be familiar to anyone who has driven a new Kia SUV, thanks to its large display made up of two infotainment screens, with a smaller screen sitting below. It’s available with a posh-car kit like a Harman Kardon sound system and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

When not shifting loads, owners will likely use their Tasman as a mobile office with it boasting a folding centre console table, wireless charging for two phones and a hidden 33-litre storage space under the back seats. According to Kia, the Tasman’s 940mm rear legroom is best in class and the back seats recline by up to 30 degrees. The interior is also littered with recycled plastics, used for things like the seats and carpets.

While the material choice is new-school, the Kia’s mechanical construction is reassuringly tough and old school with its body bolted to a rigid ladder chassis for excellent offroad ability. Power comes from a 281PS (207kW) 2.5-liter petrol engine producing 421Nm (311lb ft) mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s good for a top speed of 115mph and 0-62mph in an impressive 8.5 seconds. It has a maximum payload of 1,195kg and can tow up to 3,500kg. 

Decent performance that should be backed up with reasonable road manners thanks to the car’s double wishbone front suspension. Expect the Kia to be impressively refined thanks to “advanced, noise retractor technology.” It also gets self-drive tech that makes it capable of driving itself on the motorway and in queues of traffic. Rear leaf springs mean the Tasman can handle the heavy loads expected of a proper truck. 

And the same goes for off-roading. Kia’s made an effort to ensure the Tasman can handle more of the rough stuff than your average truck, with an air intake hidden in the wing and waterproof electrical connectors that allow the truck to wade up to 800mm. 

As you’d expect, all-wheel drive is fitted as standard on all but the basic model and the car’s drive select is configured with various off-road modes. 

High-end X-Pro models are the only versions to come with a rock-crawling drive mode, because they also have a centre-locking differential and X-Trek, which holds the car to a very low speed, like cruise control for off-roaders. Navigating rock gardens should be made all the easier by the car’s Ground View Monitor, which augments an overhead view of the car onto the infotainment screens, like a drone is filming from above the truck. 

Kia knows its truck will be bought by traders, farmers, fitters and the like that need the truck to do a job, and it comes fitted as standard with corners steps for easy entry into the load bay and a three-prong plug for using hand tools, laptops and the like.

All of which makes us rather like the Tasman, which is a shame because, as a plus-sized truck, it’s unlikely to be sold in the UK – the first cars will head to the USA, Middle East and Africa – but with strong commercial sales we’d guess a European version is highly likely. More on that when we hear it.