Remember when the Australian motoring media and the general public would lose their collective minds over an unsolicited reveal of a new-generation Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon interior? Well it’s happening again Mr Wembley, only this time with an all-new ute – the forthcoming 2025 Kia Tasman.
If you needed evidence of just how dramatically our world can shift in such a short period of time, perhaps this is it. With separate-chassis utes occupying three of the top four spots in Australian vehicle sales so far in 2024, it’s no wonder that Kia’s first commercial vehicle since the death of the Pregio van in 2006 is causing such a stir.
Its nameplate is Australian (put forward by Kia’s local product planning department and overwhelmingly well-received in head office), its engineering development is being partially completed in Australia, and we’re expected to be its biggest global market – likely adding at least 20,000 annual sales to Kia’s tally, which would cement Kia as the number two brand in Australia behind Toyota.
Being late to the ute
