The Kia Tasman won’t be the Korean brand’s only ute, but it may well be the only one it offers here. Kia confirmed globally in 2022 it was working on two utes: “a dedicated electric pickup truck and a strategic model for emerging markets”, the latter of which was understood to be an electric Tasman derivative. The so-called “dedicated” electric pickup, in contrast, was earmarked for production in the US in 2024, something that hasn’t eventuated as demand for some electric pickups there – like Ford’s F-150 Lightning – has fallen off.
Impeding this model’s chances for Australia is the lack of right-hand drive production at Kia’s West Point, Georgia plant in the US. 100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal.
Browse now . “[The Tasman] is sourced out of the Hwaseong factory and logistically for many reasons, and the long history, sourcing out of the Korean factory has been very good for us,” Kia Australia product planning general manager Roland Rivero told CarExpert. “It’s not always easy to ask the Georgia factory to build a product in right-hand drive.
“If we use Telluride as an example. Telluride, for their own market, they need to satisfy the demands of the North American market – including Canada – first and foremost. I wouldn’t say never, but it’s difficult to ask the Georgia factory for right-hand drive.
“For now, in a pickup form, the Tasman is it for Aus.