Spotted: Kia Tasman Makes a Public Appearance in New Zealand

An eagle-eyed NZ Autocar reader has captured the upcoming Kia Tasman ute on New Zealand roads, spotted near Kia’s Highbrook headquarters in Auckland. The vehicle was seen bearing the custom plate “KIAUTE,” which isn’t registered to any production model, suggesting it’s a temporary addition for promotional activities.

Kia New Zealand has confirmed that the Tasman is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2025. In the meantime, NZ Autocar is set to test the Tasman overseas in late May, so stay tuned for our first impressions.

The Tasman is Kia’s first foray into the ute segment, and it’s shaping up to be a serious contender. Built on a body-on-frame chassis, it features a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, delivering 154kW and 441Nm, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It boasts a braked towing capacity of 3,500kg and a payload of approximately 1,000kg. The Tasman is available in 2WD and 4WD configurations, with the latter featuring an electronic locking rear differential and terrain modes such as Rock and X-Trek.

Inside, the Tasman offers a modern cabin with dual 12.3-inch displays, a 5-inch climate control screen, dual wireless charging pads, and a folding center console table. Rear passengers benefit from sliding and reclining seats, offering class-leading legroom of 940mm and 33 liters of under-seat storage.

For those seeking off-road prowess, the Tasman X-Pro variant ups the ante with enhanced suspension, reinforced chassis components, and all-terrain tires. Despite its rugged capabilities, it maintains interior comforts, including a folding console table and reclining rear seats.

Kia has also unveiled the Tasman Weekender concept, a bold off-road iteration featuring aggressive styling, BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, and additional storage solutions, hinting at the ute’s adventurous potential.

Update:
We think we found what Kia was doing when the Ute was spotted. Check out the similarities to this social media post!