2025 Kia Tasman Photos, engines & full specs

Kia introduced its first body-on-frame pickup truck in late 2024 for the Australasian market, surprising its customers with an offroad-ready vehicle able to stand against much more notorious car manufacturers in this segment.

After improving its vehicles and adapting them for the electric future, the Korean automaker made a surprising move and attacked the pickup truck segment. The 2025 Kia Tasman was unveiled in Australia and boasted several features that were utterly new for the car manufacturer. Furthermore, it was a body-on-frame vehicle, not a unibody product that shared its underpinnings with the Hyundai Santa Cruz. The bold move made customers wonder if the newcomer didn’t benefit from all the technology it had in its storage and then applied it to a vehicle capable enough to tow a trailer, wave through unbeaten paths, and still provide enough comfort for a family of five during their daily commute.

The 2025 Kia Tasman looked rough with its angular shapes at the front. Its flat and upright grille boasted a broad air intake, and above it, integrated into the forward side of the hood, had the brand’s badge. The automaker installed the LED headlights on the sides, on the front side of the wheel arches, in a recessed position compared to the main grille. Below, the plastic bumperwas avialble as black, unpainted, or body colored. In addition, when fitted with the offroad package, it included a pair of orange towing hooks.

For over half a century, pickup trucks had mostly the same shape, with some variations, and Kia knew that. As a result, it created the Tasman by following the same design ideas as its competitors in the mid-size pickup segment. It offered it with either a short or a long cab version, with two or four doors, respectively. At the back, depending on the options, customers could get the vehicle with a bed or a chassis configuration that allowed them to install various applications according to their needs. Regardless of the version, all variants had the same almost straight windshield at the front, followed by a flat roof with an available roof rack. Customers could get the car with side steps, turn signal lamps integrated into the door mirrors, and bulky door handles. On the rear fenders, which were protected by plastic moldings, Kia installed the fuel-filler cap on the left and a tiny storage compartment placed on the right fender. Finally, at the back, the car manufacturer embossed the brand’s name and the nameplate into the fold-down rear tailgate.

But the 2025 Kia Tasman targeted families looking for adventurous weekends in the wild. As a result, it fitted the pickup with modern amenities that could make the trip a pleasure. Atop the narrow dashboard, the automaker installed a dual-screen display, with a touchscreen placed atop the center stack and another for the instrument panel in front of the driver’s seat. Between the front bucket seats, the tall center console featured a fold-forward armrest cover that could transform the vehicle into a mobile office. In the back, the slide-forward and tilting seatback of the bench seat were appreciated by families.

Under its skin, the sturdy chassis was new. It featured front independent suspensions and a live rear axle with leaf springs. To motivate the vehicle, Kia offered the car two different engines: a 2.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 2.2-liter turbodiesel. Both versions were paired as standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Like most pickup trucks in the mid-size segment, most variations encountered two ideas. Like most of its competitors, it was fitted with a two-speed transfer case that could send the power to the rear or in all corners. A locking rear diff was available, while an electronically-controlled front differential.