5 Things We Hope To See From The 2025 Kia Tasman Pickup Truck
Spy shots of a mysterious Kia pickup truck have been floating around the internet for the past few months. The South Korean automaker has not yet confirmed the new truck's name. However, considering the trademark that Kia recently took out in Australia, all evidence points to the truck being called the 'Tasman.' The enigmatic pickup is expected to debut at some point in 2024. While we still don't know much about the truck, a few things are confirmed, and there are several other things we're hoping to see.
First of all, we know that the pickup is slated to debut outside of the U.S. We don't know which countries will get the Tasman first, but most experts agree that South Korea and Australia are on the list — the Australian debut has already been confirmed by Kia in a recently released YouTube video. That said, if Kia is planning to build the truck as a Ford competitor, as many experts believe, it would make sense for the pickup to appear in U.S. markets at some point. Though not confirmed, we're also expecting to see Kia's 2.2-liter turbodiesel under the hood. Some experts anticipate other engine options, and we're personally hoping for a green energy solution. We don't have many more concrete facts about the new pickup, but let's dive in and check out the five top things we hope to see from the 2025 Kia Tasman.
A green energy option
The Kia Tasman is expected to debut with a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine capable of producing 200 horsepower. The turbodiesel can currently be found in several cars that Kia produces for overseas markets, like the Kia Sorento, Kia Carnival, and Kia Sedona, as well as under the hood of vehicles produced by Kia's sister company, Hyundai. While the 2.2-liter diesel motor is most experts' top guess for what we'll find in the new Tasman, it's not yet confirmed. Other speculators and industry insiders have different opinions. Some predict that the 2.5-liter diesel found in the Sonata N-Line will power the Tasman, while others maintain entire lists of potential motors.
As for us, we're hoping that Kia goes in a slightly different direction. While small, fuel-efficient diesel motors are undoubtedly cool, we'd like to see a green energy option under the Tasman's hood. An electric Kia pickup truck is rumored to be in development, but this article is about the Tasman, and we hope Kia chooses to include a clean energy option for the Tasman line. We'd love to see a solid hybrid like the modern Ford Maverick — or, even better, a fully electric pickup like the Ford F-150 Lightning, with its wealth of advanced features.
It's 2024, after all, and the thought of companies exclusively producing brand-new fossil fuel-powered vehicles doesn't sit right. Nonetheless, it would be nice to see Kia release the Tasman with at least a couple of engine options. The turbodiesel is fine. However, a robust hybrid or fully electric motor would really make the truck stand out and potentially carve a niche for itself as both an imposing Ford competitor and a strong option for drivers who crave pickup utility without the negative environmental impact.
360-degree camera system
If you've ever been behind the wheel of a pickup truck, you probably understand that maneuvering these vehicles can be challenging, especially in tight, city-driving conditions. The advent and implementation of car camera systems, particularly 360-degree bird's eye systems, changes all of that. These systems allow you to view your vehicle from above, displaying any and all obstacles and enabling you to navigate tight and cramped areas with confidence.
A handful of industry experts have already speculated that the Tasman will feature a 360-degree camera system, along with several other advanced safety features. And given the state of modern automotive technology, there's a good chance those experts are correct. However, we don't know for sure that the Tasman will include any of those things. Until the truck is released, all we can do is hope that Kia chooses to build the Tasman with various advanced technology and safety devices.
That said, 360-degree camera systems are becoming more and more common. If Kia plans to compete with the likes of Ford, Tesla, and GMC, the automaker will have to up its game and build a pickup that embodies all of the innovation that's set to define the 2020s.
An optional manual transmission
It's no secret that manual transmissions have seen their use decline in recent decades. But while manual gearboxes are less common than they were 50 years ago, there are still plenty of vehicles that feature a stick shift on the road today. Not only are manual transmissions fun to drive, but they're also helpful for various driving situations, like towing a trailer or driving off-road. We aren't sure yet which transmission Kia will feature in the Tasman, but we're hoping the company provides at least a couple of options, including a manual gearbox.
When it comes to modern pickup trucks, drivers only have a couple of options if they're looking for a manual transmission. For the 2024 model year, only two pickups — the Jeep Gladiator and the Toyota Tacoma — are available with a manual gearbox option. If Kia decides to offer a manual transmission in the Tasman, the company will give itself an edge over competitors like Ford and Tesla. Furthermore, a manual transmission will not only attract drivers who love manually shifting through gears, but it will also increase the pickup's utility, allowing drivers to selectively shift gears when towing a trailer downhill or throw the transmission into low gear for sticky off-road driving.
Adaptive suspension
Driving conditions are constantly changing. Even if you drive exclusively within the city, your commute may change from month to month depending on traffic, construction, and the potholes that seem to emerge from thin air. If you drive off-road or in rural areas regularly, it's a whole different story. Regular suspension systems help absorb bumps and shocks when driving, but modern adaptive suspension systems allow you to take your experience to a new level. Adaptive suspension systems let you modify things like ride height and damping force depending on your needs. So, if you're driving offroad, you can optimize your suspension for rough, unpaved conditions. Or, if you're driving in town, you can choose to lower your car's ride height for enhanced handling.
All we know about the Tasman's suspension so far is that leaf springs have been spotted on the rear end. Everything else is still a mystery. Here at SlashGear, we'd like to see Kia release at least an optional package that includes adaptive suspension. If the automaker intends to compete with Tesla, Ford, and Rivian, it will need to build the Tasman with modern technology that stands above the crowd. Considering that Tesla is already working on perfecting its adaptive suspension system while Ford and Rivian each produce their own version, Kia has its hands full. Introducing an intuitive, adaptive suspension system to the Tasman could be an excellent way for Kia to level the playing field and stand head-to-head with its competitors.
A sport package
At this point, one of the only things we know for sure about the Tasman is that it looks super cool based on spy shots and concept art. It's depicted featuring an aggressive style reminiscent of prerunners and trophy trucks, and the pickup seems destined to get messy and tear up the trails. With all that in mind, we can't help but hope Kia releases a dedicated sport/offroad package for the Tasman. Trim levels and special-edition packages won't likely be released for some time still, but we've got some ideas that we'd love to see Kia integrate into a unique package that could really make the Tasman shine.
Some of the things we envision Kia including in a sport package include offroad tires and oversized wheels, a factory lift, aggressive flared fenders, and even a standard lightbar for the roof. If the automaker really wants to make the Tasman stand out, we'd love to see a stock brush guard added to the grill and a rollbar in the bed, similar to Dodge's legendary special edition Macho Power Wagon. While several automakers include features like offroad tires and flared fenders on their special-edition and offroad package models, Kia's inclusion of other accessories, like a rollbar, lightbar, brush guard, or a built-in winch, could help the manufacturer stand out among the crowd and gain an edge over several competitors.