2025 Kia Tasman ute spied in production form

Here it is: The 2025 Kia Tasman ute has been spied in production form for the first time.

South Korean content creator Woopa TV [↗] spotted a camouflaged example of the brand’s vital new ute in a parking space.

While previous development mules of the Kia Tasman – named after the sea between Australia and New Zealand – were modified versions of the body-on-frame Mohave large SUV with a tray, this is the first time we’ve seen the Tasman with a production look.

It appears to follow a similar design to the latest EV9, Sorento, Carnival, Picanto and the US-market Telluride with vertical headlights and a wide grille.

Inside, expect the Tasman to receive a similar look to Kia’s latest models with a ‘panoramic curved’ display for the instrument cluster and infotainment system.

Visible components in the camouflaged vehicle include a traditional gear shifter, a selector for two-wheel-drive, manual four-wheel-drive, automatic four-wheel-drive and low-range, another control that appears to adjust the drive modes, and an engine start/stop button on the centre console. It also has mesh front headrests similar to the EV9 electric SUV.

The Tasman will feature a built-in step within the rear bumper to access the tub, like the Ford Ranger.

Due to launch in Australia in 2025, the Tasman – based on a newly developed body-on-frame platform with leaf-spring rear suspension – will compete against the popular Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max with a sales target of around 20,000 units annually.

“We said at the beginning that, with where we are taking the brand and where we’ve developed the dealer network, we think we could capture 10 per cent of that LCV market,” said Kia Australia chief executive officer Damien Meredith.

Adding around 20,000 cars to its bottom line would push Kia into contention as the second-biggest car brand in Australia, overtaking Mazda, Ford and Hyundai.

While the Tasman will also be sold in the Middle East and South Africa, Australia has played a dominant role in forming the base specifications of the new ute range.

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Image: 2025 Kia Tasman ute spied, courtesy Woopa TV

“A substantial amount,” says Kia Australia’s GM of product planning, Roland Rivero, when asked how much input Australia will have.

“A lot of work’s being done to, as much as possible, influence the development to suit our market. Australia’s position is being seen as a very important one.”

The 2025 Kia Tasman is expected to debut by the end of this year ahead of its Australian launch sometime next year.