Kia Tasman Pickup Truck Spied in the U.S.

Earlier this month (April 2024), the Kia Corp was working on a new model overseas. Known for its many SUVs and venture into battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the automaker also has a few sedans and hatchbacks, a crossover or two, and a multi-purpose vehicle. It seems like the main thing missing from this lineup is a pickup truck. Kia has one overseas, and it’s developing another called the “Tasman”. At first, there was doubt that this pickup truck would come to the States, but recent spy shots suggest otherwise. The same day an official photo of the upcoming Tasman pickup truck is released, someone catches a test drive right here in the U.S.

There still isn’t a lot of information on the Tasman just yet. We know that it’s a pickup truck, and there are several markets set to receive the Tasman – South Korea, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. We speculate that the new arrival of the Tasman may be due to Hyundai Motor (also known as the Hyundai Motor Group/HMG, and the parent group of Kia) updating its Hyundai Santa Cruz, a compact lifestyle vehicle based on the Tucson SUV. We got a look at it during the 2024 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), and HMG is slowly making the transition from an SUV with a truck bed to an actual pickup truck.

Aside from the crew cab body shape, there wasn’t a whole lot we know about the Tasman’s overall look. That is, until Kia released an official photo of the upcoming Tasman pickup truck. Of course, not one to just let something leak, the pickup truck is camouflaged in a colorful wrap – designed by artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop from Australia and New Zealand. We can see the front fascia, a new grille, some black wheel flares, and vertical headlights. It doesn’t seem to resemble anything else in the lineup, aside from its boxy shape, similar to the Kia Telluride SUV. It’s unclear if the Kia Tasman will sport the automaker’s signature Tiger Nose or the new Tiger Face front fascia based on the image above.

Not too long after the official image was posted, a spy photographer KindelAuto posted a YouTube video that shows the Tasman making rounds during its test drive. It’s not in South Korea, Australia, Africa, or the Middle East. This footage was captured right here in America, and more specifically, California. A four-door crew cab with an upright, squared-off front end with vertical headlights can be clearly seen in camouflage. The grille looks a little different, but that doesn’t mean all bets are off. We think it’s a little too convenient that Kia didn’t state a North American release, and then test drives the Tasman in California, USA.

Lastly, there is some speculation about the powertrain, but no real evidence to support it. Some folks online think the Tasman could share the same powertrain as the Kia Telluride, an Atkinson Cycle Lambda II 3.8-liter V6 engine able to generate 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Others think it will be more akin to the 2.5-liter I4 DOHC engine of the old Santa Cruz, able to generate 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque.

Regardless of the final look or specs of the Kia Tasman pickup truck, we’re still waiting on final confirmation of where it will sell and when. If you want to keep up with the Kia Tasman and other new Kia models, be sure to follow along with us on Miami Lakes Automall social media.

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia