Here’s a surprise at the Kia Ownership Experience event going on at the Kia Asia-Pacific Training Centre in Glenmarie earlier today, where a right-hand drive (RHD) version of the Kia Tasman pick-up truck was shown to us in the flesh.
Debuted globally back in 2025, this exact unit of Kia’s first-ever pick-up truck is currently being used for product training for the Thai market, but no exact words were given regarding its eventual arrival into our market, at least for now.
Kia’s First-Ever Midsize Pick-Up Truck
Named after the Tasman Sea in Australia, the Tasman is a midsize pick-up truck underpinning an all-new ladder-frame platform by the Korean automaker.
Nomenclature aside, Kia described the Tasman as its “most Australian vehicle” ever developed, set to compete against the likes of the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara, and many more.
From the looks, the Tasman looks very distinct over any other midsize pick-up trucks, featuring the most distinct take on Kia’s Tiger Nose front fascia design with a large front grille flanked by vertically-mounted LED headlights.
Kia designers also played around a lot with the dark-hued plastic cladding, with parts covered in this material, including the entire front bumper, wheel arches, side skirts, and the rear bumper. Also primed here are the 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels shod in Kumho Crugen H/T tyres measuring 265/60 R18.
In terms of dimensions, the Tasman leans towards the bigger end among other midsize pick-up trucks, spanning 5,410 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,920 mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,270 mm. Thanks to this, the Tasman boasts a segment-leading cargo capacity of 1,173 litres.
Premium, Tech-Laden Cabin
And just like any other modern Kia model, the Tasman gets a pretty premium and tech-laden cabin featuring a slew of comfort and modern amenities that set it apart from many of its more ‘agrarian’ rivals.
Some key tech highlights include a dual-12.3-inch display setup with a separate 5-inch multi-function screen for climate control, two Qi wireless chargers, powered front seats with heating and ventilation functions, heated rear seats that can be folded down or up, dedicated A/C vents for the rear passenger compartment, zip-up seatback pockets, and an 8-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.
Safety features are also ample in the Tasman, which includes Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2) Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality.
Petrol & Diesel Options Available
As of now, the Tasman is offered in both petrol and diesel powertrain options, and this exact unit displayed here is the latter, featuring Kia’s tried-and-tested 2.2-litre 4-cyl SmartStream D turbodiesel engine—the same engine used on both the Carnival MPV and Sorento SUV.
Rated at 210 PS and 440 Nm, this engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) system, although buyers in certain markets can get them with a six-speed manual and a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) configuration too.
Unlike its Korean cousin, the Hyundai Santa Cruz, the Tasman is a proper ladder-frame-based pick-up truck, and this translates to its decent payload of over 1,000 kg, while its towing capacity is rated at up to 3,500 kg, Kia claims.
Coming to Malaysia Soon?
As mentioned earlier, this exact unit displayed at Kia APAC’s training centre is being used for product training exercises for the Thai market, although the truck itself is still fully-imported (CBU) from South Korea.
Having said that, given the fact that Kia Sales Malaysia (KSM) even allowed us to size up the Tasman up close earlier today, could this boxy, rugged-looking pick-up truck make its local market debut sooner than we expected?
