Kia Australia says the new Tasman dual-cab ute’s success in the fleet market hinges on a five-star ANCAP safety rating which it expects to achieve, though the entire range isn’t expected to be rated by the safety authority.
Speaking with CarExpert at the prototype drive of the brand’s first dual-cab ute, general manager for product at Kia Australia – Roland Rivero – said the local range will offer two front bumper variations, with the off-road bumper on the X-Line and X-Pro models less effective in pedestrian detection.
“[The front bumper of lower grades] is safety related, in that the lower approach angle in effect assists with pedestrian safety, or vulnerable road user detection, and with the high approach angle the X-Line and X-Pro it’s not as friendly from a lower leg perspective – so we want to give the Tasman a chance of hitting the five-star mark,” Mr Rivero said.
“Particularly because it’s a non-negotiable for many fleets, we don’t want to lose that potential 50 per cent of business if we don’t achieve that five-star rating.”
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Tasman S -
Tasman X-Pro
When asked if there will be a split rating for the Tasman similar to how the previous-generation Kia Cerato had a split rating depending on specification, Mr Rivero said the off-road-focused models will likely go unrated instead.
“At this point in time, the off-roaders will be unrated, in effect. But you can still take an S, SX or SX+ 4×4 off-road if you wanted to, and get a reasonable approach angle if you change the bar and put a bullbar in its place that will grant you a lot more clearance,” Mr Rivero continued
“We envisage some of the big fleets will do that – QFleet, Department of Agriculture, Department of Primary Industries – they do that, and they need a five-star rating from the get-go.
“[Those customers] do a lot of rural driving, and kangaroos can become a problem, so they’ll put the bull bars on. That’s how we see the market playing out in that regard, from a bumper perspective.”
While the top-selling Ford Ranger (excl. Raptor) and Toyota HiLux (excl. GR Sport) feature five-star ANCAP ratings across most of their ranges, they’re also subject to older test criteria, whereas the Kia is up against the latest standards.
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X-Pro Prototype with accessories
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Integrated trailer brake controller
- Lane-centring assist
- Lane-keep assist
- Parking sensors – front, rear
- Reversing camera
- Trailer sway control
Tasman SX adds:
- Highway Driving Assist
- Adaptive cruise + lane centring
- Navigation-based cruise control
Tasman X-Line adds:
- 360-degree parking cameras
- Blind Spot View Monitor
- Parking Collision Avoidance Assist
Kia Australia has yet to confirm the Tasman’s airbag count.
The Kia Tasman is available for pre-order now, ahead of a first deliveries around July. Prices start from $42,990 before on-road costs for the entry-level S 4×2 dual-cab pickup, climbing to $74,990 for the loaded, off-road focused X-Pro.
Read our full price and specs breakdown here.
MORE: Everything Kia Tasman
