KIA TASMAN
Kia South Africa has officially entered the country’s fiercely contested bakkie segment with the arrival of the Tasman – a vehicle that represents one of the most significant product expansions in the brand’s local history.
Long known for its passenger cars and SUVs, Kia now turns its attention to a segment that lies at the heart of the South African market.
But rather than adapting an existing platform, the Tasman has been developed from the ground up as a purpose-built double cab, engineered to meet the demands of both work and lifestyle users in some of the toughest conditions in the world.
The result is a bakkie that blends traditional durability with a more modern, design-led and technology-rich approach – while remaining firmly focused on real-world capability.
Power is delivered through an eight-speed automatic transmission, contributing to both efficiency and refinement, while allowing the engine to remain within its optimal operating range across a variety of driving conditions.
Kia has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the Tasman delivers genuine off-road capability, rather than simply adopting the aesthetic of an adventure vehicle.
Selectable drive modes – including Eco, Sport, Normal, and Tow – are complemented by dedicated terrain settings for low-grip conditions, allowing the vehicle to adapt to surfaces such as sand, mud, and loose gravel.
In more demanding conditions, systems such as X-TREK mode allow for controlled, low-speed progress over rough terrain, reducing driver workload and improving confidence when the going gets tough.
A rear electronic differential lock further enhances traction by intelligently distributing torque to where it is needed most, helping the vehicle to maintain momentum in challenging off-road scenarios.
Downhill Brake Control (DBC) adds an extra layer of assurance, automatically managing vehicle speed on steep or technical descents without requiring constant driver input.
With a gross vehicle mass of 3 250 kg and a gross combined mass of 6 200 kg, the Tasman is capable of handling substantial loads. Payload capacity exceeds one tonne, while a braked towing capacity of 3 500 kg places it firmly among the leaders in its class.
While the Tasman delivers the toughness expected of a traditional bakkie, Kia has also focused on elevating the in-cabin experience.
A fully integrated digital display setup – combining a 12.3-inch driver cluster, a central infotainment screen, and a dedicated climate control interface – brings the Tasman in line with the brand’s latest passenger vehicle offerings.
The cabin is designed to balance durability with comfort, offering generous space for both front and rear occupants, along with modern connectivity features and advanced driver assistance systems.
These include a comprehensive suite of safety technologies, ranging from adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance to blind-spot monitoring and autonomous emergency braking – reinforcing the Tasman’s positioning as a thoroughly modern interpretation of the double-cab bakkie.
The local Tasman range will be offered in a clearly structured line-up, catering to both work-focused buyers and those seeking a more lifestyle-oriented double cab. The range comprises the Tasman LX 4×2 and LX 4×2 colour coded derivatives, followed by the Tasman SX 4×4 and SX 4×4 colour coded models, and is topped by the flagship Tasman X-Pro 4×4 and X-Pro 4×4 colour coded variants.
Recommended retail pricing for the range is as follows:
Kia Tasman 2.2D A/T 4WD LX R 679 995
Kia Tasman 2.2D A/T 4WD SX R 789 995
Kia Tasman 2.2D A/T 4WD X-PRO. R999 995
