{"id":114667,"date":"2024-04-15T11:56:46","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T10:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paultan.org\/?p=1750784"},"modified":"2024-04-15T11:56:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T10:56:46","slug":"kia-tasman-teased-new-toyota-hilux-rivalling-pick-up-truck-confirmed-for-australia-asean-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/15\/kia-tasman-teased-new-toyota-hilux-rivalling-pick-up-truck-confirmed-for-australia-asean-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Kia Tasman teased \u2013 new Toyota Hilux-rivalling pick-up truck confirmed for Australia; ASEAN too?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Kia<\/a><\/p>\n

From out of left field, Kia has announced it will be launching a new pick-up truck<\/a> sometime next year. It’s called the Tasman, named after the island of Tasmania in Australia, and is said to “redefine the concept of a lifestyle pick-up.”<\/p>\n

This statement, along with the brand calling it a “C-segment pick-up truck”, initially suggests that this will merely be a rebadge of the passenger car-based Hyundai Santa Cruz<\/a>. However, it’s been reported that Kia is instead going it alone and building a proper body-on-frame one-tonne truck, similar to the all-conquering Toyota Hilux<\/a>, Ford Ranger<\/a> and Mitsubishi Triton<\/a>. These reports were backed up by spyshots of a far more boxy, high-riding prototype compared to the more road-biased Hyundai.<\/p>\n

All this tracks with the confirmation that, unlike the North America-only Santa Cruz, the Tasman will be sold in global markets like Australia, Africa and the Middle East \u2013 regions that overwhelmingly prefer ladder-frame trucks over their monocoque brethren. This, of course, raises the possibility that the truck will be offered in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand (and yes, Malaysia too) where one-tonne trucks reign supreme.<\/p>\n

\"Kia<\/a><\/p>\n

No technical details have been released, but Kia already has the building blocks for a decent pick-up, not least the 2.2 litre R four-cylinder turbodiesel long used in models like the Sorento<\/a> and Carnival<\/a>. In its latest form, it produces 202 PS and 440 Nm of torque, which is competitive \u2013 if not class-leading \u2013 with other models in the one-tonne truck segment. A lower 177 PS\/431 Nm tune also exists, powering the Hyundai Staria<\/a>. The mill is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.<\/p>\n

Kia also has access to a plug-in hybrid powertrain to meet rising demand for electrified pick-up trucks. This pairs a 1.6 litre turbocharged petrol four-pot with a 90 hp electric motor, which in the Sorento<\/a> develops a total output of 264 PS and delivers an all-electric range of 51 km thanks to a 13.8 kWh battery. Such a powertrain will help the Tasman compete with the Ranger PHEV<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Past spyshots and videos have shown a large double-bed pick-up that bears all the hallmarks of traditional one-tonne models, including an upright design with lots of angular lines and chiselled surfaces. Added to that are the latest Kia design cues, such as a wide “tiger nose” grille and vertical headlights, similar to the facelifted Sorento<\/a> and Carnival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\"Kia<\/a>
\n\"Kia<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Kia<\/a>
\n\"Kia<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

There are also some distinctive touches, like thick black body cladding that only covers the upper part of the fenders. Elsewhere, you’ll find a solid rear axle and leaf springs at the back, while a toggle for selecting two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and low-range all-wheel drive is located on the centre console. This hints at how seriously the Korean carmaker is taking building a rugged truck for harsh environments.<\/p>\n

Kia’s new one-tonne truck was first announced back in 2021<\/a> as a \u201cstrategic\u201d vehicle for emerging markets. This is one of two pick-ups being developed, the other being a pure electric model that will likely take on full-size US rivals like the Ford F-150 Lightning<\/a>, Rivian R1T<\/a>, Chevrolet Silverado EV<\/a> and Tesla Cybertruck<\/a>.<\/p>\n