Right off the bat it’s clear the brand-new KIA Tasman is not here to make tjommies. And it’s definitely not here to slide quietly into the double-cab braai, sipping a lukewarm Savanna. Instead, this part truck, part military vehicle has kicked over the Weber and seems intent on dishing out a few fat lips. And honestly? Good on ya, you Aussie beast. Here’s the context. KIA South Africa currently has 77 dealers dotted across the republic.
They’re not trying to eat the Ford Ranger’s lunch from Bela-Bela to Beaufort West. The strategy is smarter than that … more Korean. They’re hoping the KIA Tasman will grow market share incrementally and gain a genuinely profitable foothold in the market. The brand’s philosophy is simple: product is king. Which is exactly why they refused to rush the KIA Tasman to market until it was ready. You only get one shot at a first impression in South Africa’s brutal bakkie segment, and KIA wasn’t about to rock up underprepared …
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KIA TASMAN FIRST DRIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA
For a body-on-frame chassis, the ride quality on road is brilliant. Image: KIA SA
Therefore, we were dispatched to the rugged West Coast for three days. The lunar-like Cederberg and idyllic-yet-harsh Lambert’s Bay, to be precise. These are the sorts of places that would make a lesser vehicle weep synthetic oil and wave the white flag. Fire-damaged gravel passes crumbling under your Kumho all terrains. Corrugated dirt roads to shake your fillings loose and flooded river crossings to keep you on your toes.
And what did we learn about the erstwhile KIA Tasman? Well, this enormous double cab is something genuinely different in the segment. Let’s address the elephant in the room first: the styling. We can confirm the KIA Tasman probably won’t win any beauty pageants. It’s blocky, angular and carries too much military-vehicle DNA to be so shallow. But that’s because KIA has been building military vehicles in its homeland for more than eight decades.
THE LOOKS DO GROW ON YOU
A morning in the sand dunes near Lambert’s Bay proved just how well engineered this new double cab entrant is. Image: KIA SA
Some will love it. Some will not. But hey, everyone will have something to say about. And here’s the thing, after a few days with the KIA Tasman, it does grow on you, especially after it has impressed with its sheer toughness and capability. Plus, if you slap a canopy on there, and add one of the many available accessories, it really starts to look the part. Some of the vehicles in our convoy had a rear sport bar, canopy and front nudge bar and they weren’t unpleasing on the eye.
Now, to the mechanicals. Under the bonnet sits a 2.2-litre turbodiesel pushing out a proven 154 kW and 440 Nm, hooked up to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. This combination pulls the Tasman’s considerable 2 283 kg with surprising composure. Towing capacity sits at a very respectable 3 500 kg, the 800-mm fording depth is genuinely impressive for those unexpected river crossings. Better still, the high-walled rear load bay delivers a massive 1 173-litre payload, which is proper.
THREE-MODEL KIA TASMAN RANGE
A truly comfortable place to spend time, with all the premium gubbins you’d expect from a top-wrung SUV. Image: KIA SA
From the off, three KIA Tasman models go on sale in South Africa. The entry point is the LX at R679 995, which is two-wheel drive only and stripped of ADAS features. Ideal for the budget-conscious, workhorse buyer. Step up to the SX at R879 995 and you get AWD and all the nice-to-have ADAS tech. Lastly, and the one we drove exclusively on launch, is the KIA Tasman X-Pro at R999 995. This one is the whole enchilada, with all the ADAD self-driving and X-Trek off-roading goodies.
Which brings us to the highlight, the wonderful contrast between the rugged military exterior and its polished, premium cabin. You climb up into the KIA Tasman expecting something spartan, like a Humvee with gun turrets. Instead, you get what feels like a Sorento interior. Twin 12.3-inch digital displays dominate the dashboard, there’s a Harman Kardon premium sound system and everything falls to hand without a treasure hunt. Best of all, the seats are genuinely comfortable and, for a double cab, the passenger space is truly humungous.
KIA TASMAN VERDICT
The chunky rear load box looks less bulky when teamed with an aftermarket canopy. Hugely practical though. Image: KIA SA
Will bakkie-mad South Africans embrace the KIA Tasman? Honestly, nobody has a crystal ball. Certainly not us, and certainly not KIA. This market has opinions about bakkies that border on religious conviction. And changing minds is going to take time and kilometres. But here’s what we can say with complete conviction: KIA has done the hard yards. This is no rebadged so-and-so … the Koreans developed this bakkie from the ground up, correctly. And they are confident it will speak for itself. The KIA Tasman isn’t a shortcut or a placeholder. It’s a proper swing at a tough target. And our time behind the wheel across the wilds of the Cederberg and West Coast suggests there’s no reason it shouldn’t land a solid blow.
KIA TASMAN PRICING
- LX 2WD – R679 995
- SX AWD – R879 995
- X-Pro AWD – R999 995
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