2026 Kia Tasman review

The Kia Tasman has had a tumultuous start in Australia.

Kia’s first ute was supposed to be a game-changing moment for the South Korean auto brand, but the reception to its – frankly – polarising appearance has meant sales haven’t surged in the way that Kia was probably hoping.

But that might be more of an issue for private ute buyers, because for fleet customers this thing ticks almost every box possible.

And in this entry-level Tasman S dual-cab 4×2 pickup, there’s a whole lot of appeal for business buyers. Plus, there are bargains out there…

How much does the Kia Tasman cost?

The Tasman range isn’t as extensive as some other utes in the segment, but it will be bulked out soon with the arrival of more work-focused cab/chassis variations.

Those prices are just indicative though, because Kia dealerships seem to be keen to get some sales on the board.

For example, I found this version of the Tasman – the S dual-cab 4×2 pickup in white – for as little as $38,990 drive-away with delivery kilometres only. That’s effectively a $10,000 discount from the standard list price plus on-roads.

And that must hurt Kia because, as you’ll read below, if you can see past its appearance you’ll be getting an absolute bargain of a buy at that kind of price.

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What is the Kia Tasman like on the inside?

I don’t think there is another ute at this price (or even less if you are willing to shop around) that has the upmarket interior feel and presentation that the Tasman offers.

I know you might have read this in the past, but it does feel like more of an SUV-like experience inside this dual-cab.

It comes down to the way the dashboard is presented, with twin 12.3-inch screens as standard – even in this entry-level vehicle – and the way the switchgear and squared-off steering wheel combine to give a complete and comfortable cabin vibe.

The full digital instrument display for the driver with configurable dials and colour finishing is a tidy bit of kit, and it has an easy-to-navigate menu system by way of the steering wheel controls.

Then there’s the touchscreen media system which is well appointed, crisp, and logical in terms of the menu structure once you spend a few days with it.

The expected Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring tech is wirelessly available, so the menus beyond that might not be that necessary to explore. But if you do need to, it does come pretty naturally.

In between those two screens is a climate adjusting panel, which offers a display of the temperature you’ve set and also some of the other controls like recirc and demist, but you don’t have to rely on that touch panel for those controls – hallelujah!

That’s because below the panel of physical controls for the media system, there is also a set of glove-friendly toggle switches for temperature, fan speed, and air-conditioning mode, as well as a hazard light switch.

The presentation of the cabin is exceptional, with the meshed hidden vents making for a great talking point, and the silver surround rail that runs the width of the dash also adding a bright highlight to the interior.

Below the dashboard area you will find a good sized centre storage tray, sadly without a wireless phone charger in this base grade, but there are USB ports there to connect to the screen, and also charging.

The traditional T-bar gear selector is a nice thing to rest your hand on, and there are some buttons nearby for your camera system, hill descent control, auto hold and parking sensors, if you need to disable them.

Further back you’ll find a good sized pair of cupholders with cup-grabbers, and a centre console bin with a 12V port that’s reasonably large as well.

One thing the tradies might not love is the lack of high-mounted cupholders, but there is a sizable glove box if needed.

In the doors there are squared off storage sections with a good amount of space, and I want to call out the padding on the squared-off door-tops, which allows you to rest your arm on those longer drives. Below them there’s more soft padding and I really also find the door handles to be quite pleasing to operate.

But one of my favourite features of this Tasman is the seats. The comfort and adjustability of these manual front chairs is great despite the lack of lumbar adjustment.

But the trim finish that has been used doesn’t make it feel like you’re buying an entry-level truck, even though that’s exactly what this is.

You don’t get an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, but you do get illuminated vanity mirrors and extendable sunvisors, plus there is an SOS call button up above the driver as well.

There are grab handles to help hoist yourself up into the cabin on both the A- and B-pillars, too.

Rear seat space is very good in the Kia Tasman dual-cab, and so is the seat comfort. Some other utes don’t offer quite the same level of cush that this back seat does.

Also, you can split/fold the seat base to access your dry and secure storage area, plus there’s a split/folding backrest if required.

However, be mindful that there are thick roof pillars right next to where a rear occupant’s head might be, which eats into the view, so kiddos might dislike that in particular.

On that topic, there are ISOFIX anchors and top-tether points for child seats in the window seats, and the latter are proper ones – not the silly ‘strap it to the centre position’ setup you find in some rival pickups.

If you aren’t a toddler in a seat, you will still be impressed by the amount of space in the back, where there’s generous legroom and headroom for the class, and enough width to be able to fit three adults across if required. There’s a very slight transmission tunnel intrusion but it is hardly anything to worry about.

But there is one thing to worry about in the back – Kia has cheaped out on this base-grade S variant (and the SX above it!) by not offering any directional air vents for rear-seat riders.

It’s such a daft cost-cut that it should be called out. There are also no charging options in the rear of the cab. Storage in the back includes map pockets and bottle holders, but there’s no flip-down armrest.

As for the tub, it’s a class-competitive size, but you’re going to need to shop the accessories catalogue if you want anything other than four tie-down points and a painted metal finish.

You can opt for a tub-liner ($415) or a Tub Bed Rug ($854), and to enclose the rear you have the option of a soft tonneau cover ($1065), a hard tonneau in aluminium ($2343), a manual roller cover ($3619), an electric roller cover ($5005), or a choice of canopies (from $4620).

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

All Tasmans – even this cheapie – have the same engine and transmission.

Our test vehicle is rear-wheel drive. If you want 4×4, you can spend an extra $7000 to get it in this spec.

Yep, it does have the same braked towing capacity and GVM/GCM numbers as the 4×4 version, with more than a tonne of payload. And despite that, it doesn’t drive like a truck!

As for fuel consumption, I managed to see a lower return than the combined claimed efficiency figure – doing unladen driving with a strong mix of highway-based testing.

It has an 80-litre fuel tank, and doesn’t have AdBlue to contend with, either. It does have a diesel particulate filter (DPF) though.

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Kia Tasman drive?

I really like the democratic approach to power that Kia has applied to its new Tasman ute.

The familiar 2.2-litre turbo-diesel is a trusty and eager feeling powertrain, and Kia has obviously done some work to improve throttle response and torque delivery to make it feel a bit more urgent in mixed driving situations to help with extra weight.

But I do find it a little bit odd that if you are on and off the throttle at freeway speed, it can be overeager to rev – and although it’s relatively smooth, the engine isn’t that quiet. So that can make for a less than serene experience.

The powertrain with this eight speed automatic transmission is up to the task, with very good gearing and shift logic for most situations.

I couldn’t really fault the behaviour of the auto during my time testing, and it is smooth and smart at high speeds as well, eagerly shifting to top gear at freeway speeds – unlike some others that tend to only go into top when you’re powering along at potentially illegal pace.

I mentioned that the engine is a bit loud, and it also offers up some minor vibration through the cabin. Plus there is no engine stop/start function, so there’s no reprieve from that in traffic situations either.

The steering is one of the big plus points for the Tasman, though. It feels responsive, direct, nicely weighted and well isolated from unwanted feedback. Certainly more SUV-like than some of its rivals.

As for the suspension, well this work-focused S grade is surprisingly compliant across a wide mix of road surfaces even without a load on board.

Admittedly, the comparatively soft front-end counteracts the rather stiff-feeling leaf-sprung rear-end setup, but on balance it comes together quite nicely, and it corners with more enthusiasm than you might expect of a big square ute, meaning it offers one of the best ride/handling packages in its class.

The braking response is strong as well, with four-wheel discs making for a more natural feeling in some situations at least, and the pedal itself has a good amount of progression and action to it.

Even in this base model there are multiple different drive modes you can choose from, including Eco, Normal, Sport, My Drive (configurable) and Towing, though this particular vehicle did not have a towbar.

That’s an odd spec thing – all Tasman utes have an electronic brake controller fitted just near the driver’s knee, but none come standard with a towbar, hitch or harness. Strange.

Now to what I find to be perhaps the most frustrating part of this experience – disabling the safety systems. There is no memory setting to save your profile preferences for the active safety annoyances

That means that if you don’t like the driver monitoring camera system (which has two settings – one for driver distraction and one for fatigue monitoring), then you will need to switch it off each time you get back into the car and restart the engine.

Thankfully though, you can press and hold the mute button on the steering wheel to disable the ‘over-speed’ warning, and in the touchscreen there is a way you can disable the New Speed Zone warning chime, which is otherwise unbearable and frankly gets it wrong too often to be helpful.

Beyond that you’ve also got active lane-keeping assistance which can be disabled by holding a button on the steering wheel as well, and I did that most times I drove this big vehicle, because I found it a little bit pushy in terms of the lane keeping assistance.

There’s also adaptive cruise control as standard – great for those longer commutes.

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

All Kia Tasmans come relatively very well equipped, with a couple of exceptions.

2025 Kia Tasman S equipment highlights:

• 17-inch black steel wheels
• Full-size spare wheel
• LED headlights
• Daytime running lights
• Rear bumper steps
• Tailgate with ‘lift assistance’
• Smart key with push-button start
• Cloth interior upholstery
• Dual-zone climate control
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• USB charging ports
• 6-speaker sound system
• Under-seat second-row storage

Choose the 4×4 model and you’ll also score a mechanical rear differential lock. There are a number of accessories on offer too, including a set of side steps, which would be an easy access upgrade.

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Kia Tasman safe?

Kia’s first ute has received the maximum five-star ANCAP rating for all but the top-spec off-road variants, so this one is covered for those fleet and corporate customers who need to tick that box.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Pedestrian, cyclist, junction, vehicle detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Lane-centring assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear-view camera
• Trailer sway control
  • Integrated trailer brake controller

If you spend up to the SX or above you will get Kia’s Highway Driving Assist system and navigation-based adaptive cruise control.

The upper-end X-Line and X-Pro variants add parking collision avoidance assist, a surround-view camera, and blind-spot cameras.

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Kia Tasman cost to run?

The Kia Tasman has the Korean’s brand’s lauded long-warranty cover, including a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty for private customers, while business buyers get seven years or 150,000km of cover – also whichever comes first.

If you service within the Kia Australia workshop network, you get up to eight years of roadside assistance too, as it’ll top up with each service.

Beyond the generous aftersales provisions, though, it might be wise to plan for potential resale pain, especially if the rumours of a rushed-through Tasman facelift prove to be true.

To see how the Kia Tasman lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Kia Tasman

What a shame it isn’t better looking…

But stop being so superficial! This particular Tasman is a brilliant budget-friendly dual-cab diesel ute that offers an SUV-like interior with great space, and it’s nice to drive.

It could be a fantastic fleet option or, for the savvy private buyer, a great base on which to build a fun family truck.

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MORE: Explore the Kia Tasman showroom