Kia Tasman: at least it has a lovely personality...

We’ve seen the rise and fall of the hatchback. Sedans have come and gone. In recent years, SUVs and crossovers have risen in popularity, but it’s the double-cab bakkie that has made the most moves in South Africa.

Improved refinement and luxury appointments have turned the humble workhorse into a versatile stallion, allowing buyers to perform multiple duties with just one vehicle without sacrificing too much. The modern double cab is as capable on the school run as it is on the dirt, but the improved comfort and premium features have come at a literal price. 

Related: Kia Tasman vs. Toyota Hilux vs. Ford Ranger: The New King of Bakkies?

Spending close to (or even over) R1-million on a double cab has become the norm. While many still play in the R625,000 region, the range-topping offerings will comfortably breach that 1-bar mark. Kia’s latest foray into this segment embraces all of the above.

The Kia Tasman

The Tasman is Kia’s first foray into the double-cab sector, having only toyed with the light commercial market with the K2-series. It’s positioned as a premium double-cab product, taking on the Ford Rangers, Toyota Hiluxes, and VW Amaroks of the world.

They haven’t simply pulled the body off a Sorento and slapped on double-cab sheetmetal; the Tasman has been developed from the ground up, drawing on the knowledge and experience it has gained from producing military vehicles for the South Korean army for over 50 years.

A face only a mother could love

Personally, I wish I had the sort of courage the designer of the Tasman demonstrated when he presented this idea to the board of directors. It’s bold, outlandish and more than just unconventional. 

Kia opted to steer clear of the more familiar styling of a bakkie and injected some military-like elements into the Tasman’s design. The squared-off proportions, blocky face and small LED lighting signatures certainly grab one’s attention, foregoing the high-mounted headlights that we’re accustomed to seeing.

It’s not a look everyone will gravitate towards, but there's something to be said about making a statement. However, you get to decide what that statement is. I will say this, though: it does look a lot better in person than in images or video.

Familiar underpinnings

Under the bonnet of the Tasman, you will find the Smartstream 2.2CRDi turbodiesel engine, similar to the unit found in the Sorento, Carnival, and Hyundai Santa Fe, but rejigged for a longitudinal fitment.

This unit produces 154 kW of power and 440 Nm torque, a little lower than some of the opposition in this class, but hardly noticeable on the road. 

This power is directed to the wheels through an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Two variants are on offer: a 4x2 and a 4x4, the latter with an intelligent 4WD system that automatically directs power to the wheels that need it.

Kia claims this combination should deliver a combined fuel consumption of 7.8 ℓ/100km, but in real-world use, it's more likely to be closer to the 10.2 ℓ/100km achieved on the test drive. On the open road, this dropped to 9.0, so it was rather agreeable compared to the competition.

Premium appointments

The cabin of the Tasman is considerably more palatable than the exterior, offering impressive interior room and generous headroom. The dashboard's horizontal design lends itself to creating the impression of width, resting fairly upright in a Jeep-like fashion to further enhance interior space.

Three screens are in use: a 12-inch driver display, a smaller HVAC controls screen to the left of that (inconveniently obscured by the steering wheel), and a 12.3-inch infotainment display on SX and X-Pro models. These are equipped with the usual array of wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Both driver and front passenger seats are 8-way electrically adjustable and feature heating and cooling. The Tasman comfortably rivals what we regard as the most user-focused interior on the market currently, that of the Ford Ranger. 

The build quality is equally impressive, with the Tasman remaining solid and squeak-free even after several hundred kilometres of washboard gravel roads. However, our test unit’s Tyre Pressure monitor didn’t like this much and threw a fault during my time with it.

Capable offroader

The range-topping X-Pro variant features X-Trek, a function that enables steady traversal of rough terrain for added control. Combined with the low-range gearbox, the Tasman is surprisingly capable off-road.

The Tasman measures 5,410 mm long and 1,930 mm wide, with a 3,270 mm wheelbase, placing it on the larger side of the local bakkie spectrum.

It rides a fraction taller than the LX and SX variants, with a ground clearance of 252 mm, giving it a wading depth of 800 mm. Expect an approach angle of 32.2°, a departure angle of 26.2°, and a breakover of 25.8° in the X-Pro variant.

The Tasman feels good on the road, with only a slight skip felt from the leaf spring suspension at the rear, typical of a double-cab bakkie. I found the front end somewhat under-damped, resulting in a see-sawing motion at highway speeds. This was far less apparent off-road, and the supple front end still felt composed over both gravel and in soft dune sand.

Pricing

The Kia Tasman is available in three trims (with small variations for colour-coded wheel arches), namely: LX, SX and X-Pro. All models are sold with a 5-year/Unlimited km warranty (more than a million km, in case you were comparing it to the Chinese offerings), a 6-year/90,000 km service plan, and a 5-year/Unlimited km roadside assistance plan.

Verdict

The Kia Tasman is an impressive effort for Kia’s first time in this segment. The styling is polarising, but the fit and finish is what one has come to expect from Kia products, and that’s the audience that I can see gravitating towards the Tasman: those that have experience with Kia products and either had one before, or still have one in the driveway. They know about the reliability, durability, and driving experience, and now they can have that in a double-cab bakkie without the threat of theft.

Is there room for improvement? Certainly. But do its small idiosyncrasies stop it from being a good product? Absolutely not. It’s a solid offering, priced comparably to the current market.