KIA ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR TASMAN DUAL CAB UTE

Following the release of recommended retail pricing back in April, Kia have revealed drive-away pricing for their first ever ute - the Tasman. It should be noted that this covers pricing for the dual cab body only. Single and dual cab chassis versions that are expected later this year will be cheaper than the ute pricing, but this is to be confirmed.

The solitary 4x2 offering, the Tasman ‘S’, undercuts most of its rivals in the dual cab market at $46,490 drive away, but there’s then a big leap up to the same spec with four-wheel drive – the $53,890 Tasman S. An ‘SX’ grade above this is $58,490, with the ‘SX+’ $66,490 drive away. The range-topping Tasman ‘X-Line’ and ‘X-Pro’ are $70,990 and 77,990 drive away, respectively. Like the rest of the Kia Australia range, the Tasman is backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with up to eight years of Roadside Assistance available.

The broad price range ensures the Tasman is competitive against established players at both the high and low end of the Australian dual cab ute market, like the market-leading Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton and Isuzu D-Max. The KGM Musso and some offerings from Chinese brands like GWM remain cheaper, though.

The common drivetrain for all Tasman grades is a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 154kW and 440Nm. This is matched to an eight-speed automatic and a dual-range, part-time four-wheel drive system (in the 4x4 variants). Fuel economy is listed at 8.1lt/100km.

Braked towing capacity is the benchmark 3,500kg across the range, with standard payload of 1,013kg that can be brought down to qualify the Tasman for novated leasing. While most Tasman grades are biased to on-road use, the X-Pro is the ideal grade for off-road work, offering 252mm ground clearance, an 800mm wading depth, and approach/departure/breakover angles of 32.2, 26.2 and 25.8 degrees, respectively.

Spec in the base Tasman S is reasonable, with 17-inch steel wheels, cloth seat trim, dual-zone climate control, a six-speaker sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED headlights, DRLs, push-button starting and a tailgate assist feature.

Stepping up to the Tasman SX adds 17-inch alloys, power folding mirrors, three-option (Snow, Sand, Mud) Terrain Mode control, sat nav and “safety” power front windows. The Tasman SX+ ups the wheel size to 18 inches, adds LED fog lights, a liner and 240V plug in the tub, 240V cabin plug, wireless phone charging, cloth and faux leather seat trim, ambient lighting and second-row air vents.

On the Tasman X-Line, the focus moves to in-cabin appointments, with heated front seats and an eight-way power driver’s seat, dual wireless smartphone chargers, full faux leather upholstery, privacy glass, and second-row armrests. A RamBox-style rear wheelarch storage system, roof rails and LED projector headlights are also part of the X-Line spec.

The Tasman X-Pro is all about off-road capability, dropping the wheel size down to 17 inches, adding all-terrain tyres and an electronic locking diff. Fuel tank protection, a ground-view monitor, four Terrain Mode options (Snow, Sand, Mud, Rock), an ‘X-Trek’ mode and “off-road information” in the form of steering direction and angle indicators, are also X-Pro exclusives. In the cabin, first-row seats gain ventilation, with the second-row heated. There’s also a heated steering wheel, sunroof and Harmon Kardon sound system.