[Taboleo] "Fearlessly on Mountain Roads" Kia's First Pickup Truck Tasman

Dedicated Pickup Platform... 85 cm Fording Capability
Second-Row Reclining Seats Ensure Passenger Comfort
Abundant Off-Road Features Applied

"Unhindered on mountain paths, unwavering on rivers"

Kia's first pickup truck, the Tasman, has been unveiled. We met the Tasman, which Kia proudly claims was made by pouring in the know-how of a renowned leisure vehicle (RV) manufacturer, on March 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon Province. We experienced it from various angles by driving on an off-road course that included a forest road climbing the peak of Bakdalgochi, hills, and fording, as well as on regular road courses.

The Kia Tasman, Kia's first pickup truck, test drive event held on the 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Kia

The Tasman can be seen as the completion of Kia's RV lineup. Although Kia has an RV lineup ranging from Sorento and Sportage to Seltos, Niro, and Carnival, it had no pickup trucks. Kia finally created the Tasman by actively reflecting the recently increasing outdoor trend.

As Lee Hye-young, Kia's domestic marketing director, put it, "It's a pickup truck, but not like any pickup truck before." The Tasman features the characteristics of a traditional pickup truck while improving various inconveniences. It not only shows excellent adaptability in off-road and urban driving but also adds various conveniences for family trips.

The moment you see the exterior, you feel toughness and strength. The angular 'Tiger Face' and 'Starmap Signature Lighting' on the front give a strong impression, and the black fenders surrounding the wheels catch the eye with 'Side Storage' for outdoor gear.

The Kia Tasman, Kia's first pickup truck, test drive event held on the 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Kia

The Tasman applies a 'body-on-frame' structure, boasting a maximum payload of 700 kg and a towing capacity of 3,500 kg. Body-on-frame is a method where the powertrain and body are mounted on a ladder-shaped steel frame, allowing it to better withstand heavy loads compared to regular passenger cars, resulting in excellent loading capacity, high durability, and outstanding off-road driving performance. Even on rough mountain paths and off-road courses made of rocks and hills, shaking or vibrations were hardly felt.

Due to heavy snowfall in the Gangwon region at the end of March, the mountain paths were muddy, but not a single test vehicle got stuck. The Tasman features a '2-speed ATC' that delivers engine power to the front and rear drive axles based on a four-wheel-drive (4WD) system, allowing the selection of optimized driving modes for various driving conditions.

The driver only needs to select modes such as '2H' for rear-wheel drive only to enable fuel-efficient driving, '4H' for evenly distributing power to front and rear wheels to assist in rough terrain driving, '4L' for engaging low gear to help in challenging terrain, and '4A' for automatic power distribution depending on driving conditions. Additionally, terrain modes such as sand, mud, and snow can be selected according to road surface conditions.

The Kia Tasman, Kia's first pickup truck, test drive event held on the 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Kia

The off-road specialized X-Pro model adds features such as ▲'Electronic Locking Differential (e-LD)' that can lock the rear differential gear ▲'Lock' terrain mode specialized for mountainous terrain ▲'X-Trek' mode that helps stable off-road driving.

The X-Trek mode is a kind of smart cruise control function. It moves the vehicle at speeds between 1 to 10 km/h. It was possible to climb and descend slopes with about a 30-degree incline without pressing the accelerator or brake pedals. The driver only needs to focus on steering, making it easier for beginners to drive off-road.

Even when the wheels are submerged in water, the Tasman can drive safely. The air intake is located inside the upper part of the side fender at a height of 950 mm, and the intake direction is arranged opposite to the vehicle's forward direction to prevent water from entering the engine through the intake during fording. It can move through water about 80 cm deep at a speed of 7 km/h, so there is no worry even if roads are flooded during the rainy season.

The Kia Tasman, Kia's first pickup truck, test drive event held on the 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Kia

On-road driving was quiet despite being a pickup truck, with engine and external noise blocked for a serene ride. Double laminated soundproof glass was applied to the front windshield and first row, and a lot of sound-absorbing materials were used. The ventilation passages were optimally designed to reduce road noise intrusion, and the wind noise generated between the passenger cabin and the cargo area was also reduced with seal strips.

Inside the vehicle, the panoramic wide display stands out. Features like the 'Ground View Monitor' showing the lower surface and the 'Off-road Page' that allows checking engine and transmission oil, coolant temperature, and vehicle driving status help in extreme driving situations.

The second-row seats feature a sliding linked reclining function for the first time in its class, and sitting in the back while climbing Bakdalgochi felt not very uncomfortable. Convenience features such as the Harman Kardon premium audio system and a folding console table that transforms into a small work desk also caught attention.

The Kia Tasman, Kia's first pickup truck, test drive event held on the 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Kia

However, the stiff ride quality typical of trucks and the high ground clearance caused noticeable shaking, which was a downside. It is also regrettable that there are no plans to release electric or hybrid versions. Prices are 37.5 million KRW for the base model ▲Dynamic, 41.1 million KRW for ▲Adventure, 44.9 million KRW for ▲Extreme, and 52.4 million KRW for the specialized ▲X-Pro model.

The Tasman began accepting orders on February 13th and has surpassed 4,000 contracts in just over a month. Considering that 14,000 pickup trucks were sold domestically last year, the Tasman is expected to create a new pickup truck trend.

The Kia Tasman, Kia's first pickup truck, test drive event held on the 31st in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do. Kia