Adventure awaits: The new Kia Tasman ute

by Metropol | September 3, 2025 8:30 am


If the ute is one with our national identity, who is the biggest player? Metropol writer Ben Selby heads to Wellington to test the latest contender.

The Ute is very much part of the Kiwi landscape. It’s part of our national identity and everyone has their favourite, or we know someone who has one, whether it be used for rugged work, or off-road play. Kia has been making off-road military vehicles since 1973 and their presence in New Zealand has never been more felt, thanks to a new generation of all-electric SUVs, of which have achieved critical acclaim.

A foray into the uber-competitive world of utes was not initially foreseen, but Kia has now officially launched their first-ever 4WD ute in New Zealand. Enter the all-new Tasman and it quite literally boldly goes where no production Kia has gone before.

With a market dominated by the likes of Ranger and Hilux, Kia have admitted they have been late to the ute segment. However, better late than never and to show the full capabilities of their entrant into one of the most hotly contested markets out there, I was flown to attend the launch at Dirt Farm, about an hour’s drive north of Wellington.

Created as a place for people to get away from it all while having access to fast mountain bike tracks, walks, stunning scenery while be able to stay in luxury cottages or even some lavishly stocked “glamping” tents. Kia New Zealand spent 800 hours in conjunction with the team at Dirt Farm to create two intense off-road tracks to showcase what the new Tasman can do.

Stylistically, this first Ute effort from the Korean brand is certainly striking. Its pronounced front grill with bold KIA emblem dominates the front with its dual LED headlights either side. It has a “square-jawed” no-nonsense sort of stance and while I wouldn’t call it a handsome-looking package, its chiselled edges, sharp angles and blacked-out accents result in a ute which looks much better in person than in pictures.

Five different spec levels make up the Tasman range, beginning with the entry-level Tasman TX 4WD at $52,990. You then have the TXR 4WD ($58,690), TXS 4WD ($62,690), X-Line 4WD ($69,690) and the flagship X-Pro at $79,690. All models are powered by the same 2.2L four-cylinder turbo diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Power is rated at 154kW and torque at 440Nm while you can achieve a combined fuel consumption figure between 8.7L/100km and 9.3L/100km, depending on if you opt for the entry-level models or the X-Line or X-Pro, the latter two being just a tad bit thirstier.

Underneath sits Kia’s new ladder frame chassis designed to be as robust and durable as possible. Wheel packages include 17-inch steel wheels for the base TX 4WD, 17-inch alloys for the TXR and 18-inch alloys for the TXS and X-Line, while the X-Pro gets blacked out 17-inch alloys.

The interior sports a good mix of solid switchgear and quality materials. The ambience is one of refinement and durability and there is a very American truck look to the dashboard and that squared off steering wheel. Everything is laid out nicely too and within easy reach, especially the dual wireless phone charging, which is ideally placed so the driver and front passenger can charge their phones at the same time.

The Tasman features a 30” panoramic display that includes a 12.3” touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3” instrument cluster. The system displays various types of driving data such as pitch/roll, tyre pressure, oil pressure, transmission temperature, and coolant temperature, which can be useful for moments of off-roading. The vehicle is equipped with a range of features and a comprehensive safety suite including features like Remote Park Assist, Trailer Stability Assist, Lane Keep Assist and Forward Collision Warning. Blind Spot Monitoring and Highway Driving with Lane Change Assist are standard on the X-Line and X-Pro grades. There is also Kia Connect, which enables users to lock or unlock the Tasman, adjust climate control settings, and access additional features through the Kia app on a smartphone.

A ute needs to carry and tow plenty and with the Tasman, you have a payload of up to 1000kg. Using the built-in corner steps on either side of the rear allows you to have greater access to the tray. Kia also claims a 3.5 tonne towing rating, which is mighty impressive given the engine displacement. Extra space can be found as Kia allows you to fold away the rear seats, leaving an impressive 45L of room to store further valuables.

On certain models, said seats can also slide back and recline to greater increase legroom and comfort.  Plus, the X-Line and X-Pro models get an additional 6.3L of space thanks to a storage area situated within the rear fender flares, which is cool too.

Buyers have the option from choosing from a wide range of Kiwi-built accessories for the Tasman, from roof racks to deck lids and bash plates that protect the underside of the car during moments of all-terrain driving. Something which was one of the main reasons why we were at Dirt Farm on this day.

First up was a jaunt around the tight and immensely technical expert off road course. This is where us mere mortals ceded driving duties and the professionals from Downforce NZ took over. Every tight corner and rutted path were dealt with ease by the Tasman and when we quite literally dove down into a muddy water pit, the Tasman showed its ability to wade through 800mm of water which was mighty impressive. The Tasman also sports between 206mm to 252mm of ground clearance, depending on the model you choose.

For part two of the day, it was time for this scribe to take the wheel. The Tasman’s 2.2L turbo diesel four pot is very refined in the way it puts the power down. It’s quite a linear delivery of power and torque and though the conditions and trails prevented us from getting up to speed, I never found myself without power on tap and the eight-speed auto box served up some decently slick shifts.

The way the trails rose, fell and banked over left me relying very much on the Tasman X-Pro’s Ground View Monitor system. This gives you a display of the terrain ahead and exactly where you front wheels are in relation to it. Factor in the Surround View Monitor which is standard on the X-Line and X-Pro models and the need for someone to hop out and guide you around a 35-degree sloped corner or over a blind steep embankment is null and void. This gave me a greater level of confidence, but I still took my time and allowed the Tasman to take it all in its stride with steady progress.

While you have the standard 2WD high, 4WD Auto, 4WD High and 4WD Low range modes, the Tasman’s X-Trek system stands out among the other various terrain settings like Mud, Sand, Snow (though snow was unnecessary) and Rock, the latter being offered if you have the flagship X-Pro. X-Trek manages power and torque effectively and offers five speed settings for tackling terrain, like an off-road cruise control but keeps you in command. I found this innovative feature particularly useful when navigating steep slopes with fallen logs. Kia’s engineers have subjected the Tasman to 18,000 rounds of some of the most torturous off-road testing in some of the world’s toughest environments, from sand dunes out of Dubai to the Outback and boy does it show.

Kia have gone all out to gain a firm foothold in one of the most competitive markets New Zealand and from this taster at Dirt Farm outside of Wellington, it certainly shows. As far as first impressions go, Kia’s Tasman is a solid first effort. While time will tell whether it will sway devotees of the Ranger or Hilux, I am certainly looking forward to spending more quality time with this newest and most rugged model from Kia’s ever growing stable.

2025 Kia Tasman


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