While it has opinion-splitting looks, the Kia Tasman has been selling pretty well in its major markets. So far, the pickup has received a heap of orders in Australia, and over 4,000 units saw new owners in its home market of South Korea.
Kia deserves a pat on the back, then. After all, it’s not easy entering a market that’s dominated by the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. While the Tasman isn’t at that level, the initial success does open up the possibility of a model expansion.
There were reports of the Tasman possibly getting a high-performance version that will be up against the likes of the Hilux GR-S and Ranger Raptor. However, there might be another derivative of the Kia that might appear down the line.
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As reported by Australian motoring publication Carsales, Kia Australia’s Chief Engineer for ride and handling, Graeme Gambold hinted to the press that an SUV version of the Tasman is highly possible down the line.
When asked about the Kia Tasman SUV, Gambold told the local media that it’s ‘three years down the line.’ Carsales also noted Kia Australia’s marketing head, Dean Norbiato, is saying ‘If Tasman is a success, then it will open many doors, so let’s get Tasman right first. Once we get that right, then we can go from there.’
While not a confirmation, it does suggest that Kia, at the very least, is highly considering it and might be out before the end of the decade. If so, the Tasman-based SUV might be revealed as early as 2028.
Nonetheless, Kia should be seriously consider this model. Literally all of the Tasman’s rivals have an SUV version that sell strongly. Prime examples include the Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Montero Sport, and Ford Everest. Of course, it won’t be easy taking sales away from those default segment choices, and the SUV-fied pickup formula isn’t always a guaranteed success. Just take a look at Nissan Terra sales outside of the Philippines.
Still, it’s probably worth the gamble as an additional model means potentially more sales from a single platform. In turn, it might allow Kia to spread out the cost it spent on engineering the Tasman in the first place. The fate of the SUV will depend on the success of the current pickup, which is all the more reason why the Tasman needs to succeed.
