Kia starts throwing hints new bakkie will indeed be called Tasman

Having been subjected to more than a handful of spy grabs since the start of 2024, Kia has provided the first official teaser of its new bakkie, without showing it all.

Watch the teaser video below

Contrived timeline

Reported in 2019 as having been on the cards for an official unveiling in 2022 or 2023, which never happened, the brainteaser comes via a one min 37 minute video released on Kia Australia’s YouTube page, alluding to the newcomer officially being called the Tasman.

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Branded a “sensitive topic” by Kia Australia in 2020, whose former CEO Damien Meredith indicated no senior officials were allowed to speak to the media about, the supposed Tasman name not only originates from the internal nomenclature TK, but also Australia’s involvement in the project from a development standpoint.

While the video doesn’t confirm the Tasman name outright, several nautical hints are made throughout, including a dart board shot at the Tasman Sea that separates Australia from New Zealand, and the name of the hotel that shows the letters ‘T” and “A” before fading towards the sky.

Reported in 2021 as having been scrapped, the Tasman will make its debut towards the end of the year based on the same body-on-frame platform as the Mohave SUV sold in South Korea.

Seemingly known details

Spied last month by carscoops.com undergoing winter weather testing, with a Ford Ranger Raptor being present in an apparent benchmarking exercise, the Tasman will have an alleged payload of more than 1 000 kg, a tow rating of 3 500 kg, and three bodystyle choices; single cab, double cab, and cab-and-a-half.

Different from sister brand Hyundai’s unibody Santa Cruz, the Tasman, whose first spy shot appearance happened towards the end of 2022, will seemingly derive motivation from two turbodiesel engines; the 2.2-litre four-cylinder from the Sorento and Carnival and potentially the 3.0-litre V6 that serves-up 191kW/560Nm in the Mohave.

Depending on the market and engine, transmission options will consist of a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic, with selectable four-wheel-drive available based on trim level.

South Africa keen

While no affirmative information is known, the Tasman has attracted interest from South Africa as per comments made in 2020 by Kia South Africa CEO, Gary Scott.

“If it becomes available in the global line-up, it will come to South Africa, whichever one it is. It has been on the five-year plan for about 20 years [and] it is being looked at very carefully,” Scott told The Citizen on the side-lines of the Seltos launch in Cape Town that year.

Given the rate at which spy images have been popped-up, plus the teaser video, expect more details of the Tasman to emerge over the months.

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