The Tasman ran into some rough waters when the first Kia pick-up broke cover 18
months ago, with some folk reckoning it had gone too far with its out-there looks. The
maker was the first to admit it was designed ‘to push the boundaries of what a pick-up
can deliver.’ And it’s hard to argue with that.
How about steps at the two rear corners of the tub, a load bed equipped with illuminated
240-volt power outlet, sliding cargo floor and class-leading 1173 litres of space, enough
to take a standard Aussie pallet?
With five spec levels – S, SX, SX+, X-Line and X-Pro – the Tasman is in solid company,
squaring off with best-selling main rivals including the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Isuzu
D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton.
Sitting between the SX+ and the flagship X-Pro, the X-Line, the pick-up on test,
combines a classy cabin with off-road mod cons. Cost is $67,990, plus on-roads.
STYLING
The Kia design team turned their back on the traditional monster pick-up pattern,
preferring to strip away the oversized styling that had come to dominate the segment.
The Tasman is meant to serve as a dependable companion in every situation, says
Karin Habib, executive vice-president of Kia Global Design.
Kia opines: ‘An expansive radiator grille and bumper emphasise the width, while the
hood trim and grille frame the familiar (brand) Tiger Face. The upright windscreen and
rear glass contribute to the Tasman visually reinforces its highly practical nature. The
tailgate showcases a bold stamped logo.’ Sound familiar?
The X-Line is finished off with 18-inch alloy wheels shod with highway and Terrain tyres.
INTERIOR
There’s more. ‘Just as the Tasman’s exterior aesthetic breaks free from conventional
thinking, the pick-up’s cabin introduces a bold new dimension of design quality for
customers. The robust, rugged space is in keeping with the character of a pick-up truck,
creating a stable, balanced appearance.’
The Dual Cab sets the standard for storage, with up to 45 litres of space under the
second-row seat base out of the way of prying eyes. Also in situ is a slide-and-recline
feature in which the cushion slides forward and the seat back reclines between 22 and
30 degrees.
Together with class-leading head, shoulder and 940mm of legroom, it all adds up to the
provision of a comfy and relaxing travel experience. The centre console lid folds out to
act as a table for eating or working.
Like all Kias, the Tasman carries the maker’s 10 must-have sustainability items such as
a dashboard made from bio-plastics, seats crafted with recycled PET fabric and bio-PU
synthetic leather, paint that includes BTX-free and bio-paint , plus carpet made from
recycled PET material.
INFOTAINMENT
All Tasmans include Kia’s latest panorama display comprising a 12.3-inch driver
instrument display, five-inch climate control screen and 12.3-inch multi-media display,
along with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and Kia Connect with intelligent remote
control, plus in-car services and Over-The-Air updates.
X-Line also is equipped with a twin wireless smartphone charging pad. A quality six-
speaker sound system is standard across the board but for a price can be substituted
by an eight-speaker premium Harman/Kardon outfit.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
For the Australian market, the Tasman gets a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, developing
154kW at 3800rpm and peak torque of 440Nm between 1750 and 2750rpm, hooked up
to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The maker claims acceleration from zero to
100km/h in 10.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 185km/h.
Kia claims combined urban/highway consumption for the X-Line of 7.8 litres per 100
kilometres. The test vehicle averaged 10.1 litres per 100 kilometres over a week’s work,
while the tester come up with a best figure of 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres on a
motorway run.
The high standard of engine protection in the Tasman taking on water hazards, Kia
engineers positioned the air intake inside the vehicle’s fender, enabling it to safely work
in eater up to 800mm deep up to 7km/h.
SAFETY
The Kia Tasman is built to ensure occupants are protected by the latest technology no
matter what the driving conditions throw up on and off road. The vehicle’s Advanced
Driver Assistance Systems include features such as lane keeping assist, blind spot
collision warning and remote parking assist via Highway Driving Assist 2 enabling a
trailer spec to be incorporated into the vehicle’s ADAS, automatically optimising driving
characteristics to match.
Passive safety includes driver and front passenger airbags, front side airbags, centre
side airbag and curtain airbags for first and second rows.
DRIVING
With claims of acceleration from standstill to 100km/h in 10.4 seconds on the way to a
top speed of 185km/h, the Tasman X-Line has few pretensions of smoking the bitumen
at any time.
And just 440Nm of torque has the pick-up making average way, which sags even more
under a load, attacking seep inclines or when towing. That said, the power on offer is
delivered smoothly and paddle shifts help in control here.
Lane-keep and speed limit alerts are relentless and driver attention monitoring is easy
to ignore after time.
The X-Line is equipped with all-wheel drive, which switches between driving modes –
Eco, Smart and Sport – automatically. A Ground View monitor keeps an eye on the
going at ground level via a camera and the infotainment screen.
Development included testing in snowbound Sweden, steep inclines of the United
States and the scorching deserts of the Aussie outback. A step up to the X-Pro brings in
a Rock mode for taking on mountainous terrain. In Australia this is extended to Sand,
Mud, Snow and Rock.
A large exterior rearview mirror (tick) on the test car A-pillar presented an ugly blind spot
(cross) for the driver.
Features such as improved sound-deadening materials, additional wind-sealing strips
and advanced noise extractor technology provide a quiet vibration-free cabin
unmatched in the pick-up truck segment.
SUMMARY
The Kia Tasman X-Line Dual Cab Pick-Up is something of an enigma, seemingly not
knowing what it should be – workhorse or weekend transport. But, I suppose, that is the
way of the modern SUV-cum-truck. The Tasman manages to look the part in any guise.
RATINGS
Looks – 8
Performance – 6
Safety – 7
Thirst – 6
Practicality – 7
Comfort – 6
Tech – 7
Value – 8
AT A GLANCE
MODEL LINE-UP
Kia Tasman S Dual Cab 4×2 $42,990
Kia Tasman S Dual Cab 4×4 $49,990
Kia Tasman SX Dual Cab 4×4 $54,990
Kia Tasman SX+ Dual Cab 4×4 $62390
Kia Tasman X-Line Dual Cab 4×4 $67.990
Kia Tasman X-Pro Dual Cab 4×4 $74,990
Note: These prices do not include government of dealer delivery charges. Contact your
local Kia dealer for drive-away prices.
SPECIFICATIONS (Kia Tasman 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbo-diesel, 8sp auto, 4×4, SUV)
ENGINE
Configuration: four cylinders inline
Capacity 2151cc
Maximum power 154kW @ 3800rpm
Maximum torque: 440Nm @ 1750-2750rpm
Fuel type: Diesel
Combined fuel cycle: (ADR 81/02) 7.8L/100km
CO2 emissions 206g/km
DRIVELINE: 8sp automatic, 4WD
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT, AND CAPACITIES
Length: 5410mm
Width: 1930mm
Height: 1990mm
Wheelbase: 3270mm:
Minimum ground clearance 224mm
Wading depth 800mm
Turning circle: 12.34m
Kerb weight: 2223kg
Fuel tank: 80L
BRAKES
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Ventilated disc
STANDARD WARRANTY
Seven years / unlimited kilometres
