Kia has taken the wraps off a bold new off-road concept based on its up-coming Tasman ute, hinting at a potential rival to the Ford Ranger Raptor. Unveiled at the Seoul Motor Show, the Kia Tasman Weekender concept pushes the ute’s rugged potential to the extreme with aggressive styling and serious off-road enhancements.
Kia has made no secret of its interest in a flagship off-road Tasman to take on the likes of the Ranger Raptor and (the short-lived) Nissan Navara Warrior.
While there are no production plans for the Kia Tasman Weekender at this stage, the concept follows in the footsteps of previous off-road-ready Kia designs, including an adventure-spec PV5 electric van revealed earlier this year.
One notable feature of the Tasman Weekender is the introduction of body-coloured wheel-arch flares, marking the first time they’ve been seen on the ute outside of Korea. A toned-down version of these flares is expected to make it onto showroom models.
Beyond aesthetics, the concept gets a serious dose of adventure capability. It rolls on beefy BFGoodrich all-terrain tyres wrapped around new wheels, while a redesigned bonnet, rock sliders, and tie-down rails on the tray add to its off-road credentials. A beige-over-black colour scheme is accented by green details, including tow hooks, and additional storage has been integrated behind the cabin. Up top, a roof rack—complete with mounted skis—completes the weekend warrior look.
The front and rear bumpers have also been reworked, with a slimmer grille design up front in response to criticism of the standard Tasman’s styling.
