While the United States is and has always been a major market for automotive dealings, sometimes big brands like Mercedes-Benz and others pass us up with their newest cars and trucks. Why exactly this is can vary, but it just means that if you want to get a certain kind of car, you’ll have to go through the importing process. The latest vehicle that may require such a process is the new Kia Tasman pickup truck.
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Today, Kia divulged the full details of its very first pickup truck in a press release. The Tasman is meant to be a starting line for what will hopefully be many more pickups to come, as well as an attractive all-purpose vehicle for hauling both cargo and passengers in confidence and comfort. If that sounds appealing to you, don’t get too excited, because there’s a good chance it’s not coming to your domestic market.
According to the press release, the Kia Tasman will be launching sometime in the first half of 2025, first in Kia’s domestic market of South Korea, followed by a rollout to Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. If there are any plans for releases beyond that, particularly to its Kia lineup the United States, the press release does not specify as such.
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The Kia Tasman is a new kind of lifestyle-oriented pickup truck
The Kia Tasman takes several cues from one of Kia’s most prominent SUVs, the Mohave, while incorporating exterior and interior elements to make it an attractive lifestyle vehicle. The base model is a double cab with two fancier trims available, X-Line and X-Pro, with the X-Pro trim featuring 252mm (9.9 inches) of ground clearance, 28mm (1.1 inches) more than the other models.
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The bed of the truck comes in four accessory configurations, including Single Decker, Double Decker, Sports Bar, and Ladder Rack. The Single Decker comes with a canopy and double doors, the Double Decker has a butterfly door trunk and sliding tonneau cover, the Sports Bar comes with a sturdy mounting frame, and the Ladder Rack comes with a rooftop tent-compatible ladder-type rack. In all configurations, the bed is fully illuminated and even comes with a built-in power outlet.
On the inside, there is a 12.3-inch panoramic infotainment touchscreen on the dashboard giving access to the car’s entertainment and comfort controls. The inside is quite spacious, with 22-30-degree reclining rear seats featuring 940mm (37 inches) of legroom. There are also quite a few comfort features hidden around the interior, including a folding console table, wireless charging pads, and hidden storage bins.
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