Kia pickup truck Tasman
Capturing a new type of test vehicle
Eye-catching SUV-like shape
The Kia Tasman is attracting considerable attention among the new vehicles scheduled for launch. As Kia’s first pickup truck, the new model is being developed using Mohave’s body-on-frame platform. The approximate design has been revealed, as the prototype, still covered in only camouflage wrapping, has been officially unveiled.
Although the Tasman is known as a pickup truck, it was recently spotted in an SUV-like form, drawing considerable attention. It is not an actual SUV version but a prototype resembling an SUV, featuring a hard top over the cargo compartment. This raises the question: what kind of appearance can we expect from a Tasman outfitted with a hardtop?
The mysterious vehicle covering the cargo bed
Not an SUV model
Healer TV, a South Korean YouTuber specializing in vehicle spy shots, unveiled a driving video of the new Tasman prototype on Monday. The front part of the vehicle looks similar to the existing Tasman prototype. It retains design features from the official prototype, including the star map signature DRL (Daytime Running Lights), which is widely used in the latest Kia models, thick vertical grille fins, and a robust front bumper.
The standout feature of this prototype is the cargo compartment, which sports a unique shape not previously seen. It appears as if the roof and sidelines flow directly into the cargo area. Kia has not indicated that an SUV version of the Tasman is under consideration, and given that the door handle for the loading compartment remains positioned at the top, it’s hard to classify this prototype as an SUV.
Possibility of Hardtop as an Option
Taking Rexton Sports into account
The object added to the cargo compartment will likely be a hardtop that can be selected as a stock option or accessory. In the South Korean pickup truck market, the KGM Rexton Sports, which currently leads in sales, has featured a hardtop as a standard specification since the era of the Musso Sports. There are various types, including a basic hardtop with the rear window dropping at a similar angle to the cargo compartment like an SUV, an edge top with a gentle slope like a coupe-type SUV, and a half-top covering only half of the cargo bed.
Like regular trucks, pickup trucks are driven with the cargo bed open. However, unlike the US, the home of pickup trucks, many South Korean consumers want to add waterproofing to their cargo compartments. A consumer base also prefers SUV-like styling to avoid perceptions of pickup trucks as regular 1-ton trucks.
Expecting a variety of options
It looks cool with the SUV vibe
Looking at the shape of this prototype’s cargo bed, if that object is a hardtop, it is highly likely that it is a half-top that covers only part of the cargo bed. Perhaps in recognition of the competing model, Rexton Sports may be preparing various types of hardtops in addition to this. We can expect that Kia is fully prepared by accurately understanding the tastes of existing pickup truck consumers.
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