2025 Kia Tasman: name confirmed, engine details firm

A new TV commercial published to Youtube has today confirmed the Tasman name to the public and also given us an official arrival date of 2025.

Like the first ad, the new commercial features a number of high-profile Aussie athletes and finishes with text on screen saying: “Kia Tasman ute. Arrival 2025.”

As well as bearing the name of the sea that stretches between Australia and New Zealand, the Kia Tasman Ute will benefit from some local testing and development as it strives to steal customers away from key rivals like the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max.

More than 100 Tasman utes are currently undergoing development testing around the globe.

Kia is yet to reveal any official specifications for the Tasman ute but just as its name was a poorly kept secret, it’s openly understood that power will come from a 2.2-litre turbo diesel mated to an eight-speed automatic.

The engine is the same 2.2L ‘Smartstream' unit currently used in the Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Palisade and Kia Sorento where it makes 148kW/440Nm. If those outputs are carried over to the Tasman, it will put Kia’s ute in the same ballpark as rivals like the Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50 and Nissan Navara which all make 140kW/450Nm.

Another engine that could potentially slot into the Kia Tasman is the 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo diesel currently found in the Genesis GV80 SUV. In the Genesis, the big six-cylinder makes 204kW/588Nm which would give the Tasman a gutsy rival for V6-powered versions of the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok. This engine could be deemed too expensive for the Tasman, however, or Hyundai/Kia might choose to reserve it for its premium marks as the GV80 is currently the only model to use that diesel.

Just like its key rivals, the 2025 Kia Tasman will be available as a single or dual-cab and have the option of either a cab-chassis or pick-up tray. An extra-cab body style is said to be off the cards, for now.

To kick off its teaser campaign, Kia has enlisted the help of a star-studded cast to announce the Tasman ute is “set for Australia”, with expressions of interest now open on its consumer website.

The first commercial – which premiered during the 2024 NRL season