Kia Tasman X-Pro

Making a stunning debut in our Ute Of The Year testing was Kia’s all-new Tasman. This is Kia’s first attempt at building a midsize 4x4 ute in the style so popular in Australia, and for a first effort, the Tasman is an impressive result.

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While the styling has proven to be controversial (that’s putting it politely), it’s what’s under the skin that makes the Tasman stand out.

Available in four model grades with either a ute bed or a cab-chassis, Kia is covering all bases with its new offering. We selected the top-spec X-Pro Tasman for our Ute Of The Year test, as it’s the model with more of an off-road focus in its equipment and specification. At around $75K, the Tasman X-Pro was one of the most expensive utes in this year’s lineup.

Starting with a ladder-frame chassis featuring independent front suspension and a leaf-sprung live rear axle, Kia slotted a 155kW/441Nm 2.2-litre single-turbo diesel engine between the rails. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a part-time, dual-range transfer case that also offers on-demand 4x4 for full-time all-wheel drive when needed.