Testing of Kia’s upcoming mid-size Tasman pick-up continues, and so does the release of teaser videos. The latest one shows the Tasman testing suspension, cooling and gradability, finishing with some 2wd circle work in a Middle East setting (Al Qudra Desert).
A previous video showed the Tasman testing in California, which gives Americans hope that Kia might sell it in the States.
Bits and pieces have been leaked in a string of Teasers about the Tasman, Kia’s first ute.
The YouTube video posted yesterday is 1.5min long. It opens with a shot of the Al Qudra Desert located in the United Arab Emirates, and indicates Kia has completed 18,000 rounds of tests. Its Hankook Dynapro AT2 Extreme all-terrain tyres mounted on grey 17-inch wheels are deflated for better traction in the sand.
The Tasman is then seen pounding up dunes to test its suspension stability, and we get an underbody shot that shows it has a solid rear axle. This indicates it will use a body-on-frame platform rather than unibody set-up like the Telluride SUV. Another underbody shot also shows a full-size spare mounted beneath the Tasman’s cargo bed.
Last month, Kia released another YouTube video showing the Tasman undergoing a wading test. Slowly Kia is showing us the capabilities of its new ute. I
t is due to unveil the new ute at the Jeddah International Motor Show in Saudi Arabia at the end of October.
