The highly anticipated Kia Tasman has been priced for its home market of South Korea, hinting as to what buyers can expect to pay when the new ute lands Down Under later this year.
Kia in Korea is advertising a starting price of 37.5 million won for the base Tasman Dynamic 4×2 dual-cab, equivalent to around A$41,100. The mid-spec Tasman Extreme comes in at 51.2 million won (A$56,100), and the flagship X-Pro asks 56 million won (A$61,300).
However, don’t expect Australian pricing to simply be a direct conversion, as the local sticker will no doubt be influenced by shipping costs and compliance requirements.
Likewise, it’s worth noting that Korean examples of the Tasman feature a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, rather than the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder destined for Australian models.
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Pricing of other vehicles in South Korea also needs to be taken into account.
For example, a Ford Ranger Wildtrak bi-turbo retails for 63.5 million won (A$69,500) in Korea, ever so slightly less than the $69,640 before on-road costs asked in Australia.
Meanwhile, a top-spec Kia Sorento is 55 million won (A$60,250), or roughly $10,000 less than what you’d pay in an Australian showroom.
Even after accounting for those variables, the base 4×2 Tasman could potentially match or better pricing of the Ford Ranger XL 4×2 ($43,280 before on-road costs) and Toyota HiLux Workmate 4×2 diesel ($44,820 before on-road costs) dual-cab utes in Australia.
At the top end, the off-road ready X-Pro could fall somewhere in the vicinity of $60,000 if we again use Korean pricing as a guide, which would pit it against the mid-spec Ranger XLT and HiLux SR5.
Australia’s first taste of the Tasman came late last year when it made its world debut – simultaneously at the Jeddah motor show in Saudi Arabia and in Hobart, Tasmania.
Kia has confirmed the Tasman range’s rollout will commence in July 2205.
The manufacturer confirmed it will offer the Tasman in base, X-Line and X-Pro variants in Australia, though local pricing and specifications won’t be announced until closer to its local launch.
All local market examples will be powered by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 154kW of power and 441Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Tasman has a braked towing capacity of 3500kg, matching the standard set by other popular utes.
From an exterior standpoint, the Tasman best resembles a Jeep Gladiator with boxy styling and bulging fender flares.
Inside, there’s a widescreen assembly incorporating a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 5.0-inch climate display, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
MORE: Everything Kia Tasman
