Kia’s first authentic pickup truck, the Tasman, is expected to be a hit in Australia, its main market. Thanks to the Tasman effect, expectations are also rising that Kia will open the era of 100,000 units for the first time since entering Australia in the new year.
Kia Australia has announced that the number of pre-orders for the Tasman has reached 20,000 units since it was unveiled in late October this year. If this trend continues, it is expected to reach Kia’s original annual sales target of 20,000 to 25,000 units for the Tasman in Australia.
In Australia, where there are many rough road terrains, about 250,000 pickup trucks are sold annually. When Kia unveiled the Tasman, it set its Australian sales target at 10% market share.
Kia Australia noted that market interest in the Tasman model is rapidly increasing, with an average of 50 to 60 contracts being signed daily.
The Tasman will be delivered to customers in July 2025. Its competitors include the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and Isuzu D-Max. The local price of the Tasman has not been released, but it is expected to be similar to that of competing models, in the range of AUD 60,000 to AUD 70,000 (About USD 37,461 to USD 43,744).
The Tasman powertrain to be sold in Australia is equipped with a 2.2-liter turbo diesel 4-cylinder engine that generates 154 kW and 441 Nm of torque and an 8-speed automatic transmission. This is combined with a 4-wheel drive system. Kia also plans to release an electric vehicle (EV) version of the Tasman. The Tasman EV is expected to be launched after 2026.
If the launch for Tasman goes smoothly in 2025, Kia Australia is expected to achieve annual sales of 100,000 units for the first time since entering the local market.
Kia is expected to sell 75,539 units in Australia between January and November 2024, up 7.3% year over year. This ranks it fourth in overall brand sales behind Toyota (223,407 units), Ford (93,622 units), and Mazda (88,584 units). Kia will become Australia’s second-largest brand behind Toyota if it sells 100,000 units in 2025 through its Tasman launch.
Most Commented