Will the 2025 Kia Tasman really 'redefine' the ute sector? How Kia's new Tasman lines up in an on-paper comparison against Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max

Kia has released its first ute with the ambitious target of capturing 10 per cent of Australia's highly competitive pick-up market in its first year of sales.

That would equate to a tally somewhere between 20,000 to 25,000 units, in turn making the Tasman Australia's fourth-best-selling ute.

So, how does the Tasman compare on paper to to its older, more established rivals?

We've lined the specs of Kia's flagship Tasman X-Pro up against equivalent dual-cab versions of other top sellers, including the Toyota HiLux Rogue, Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain to get an idea.

Dimensions: How big is the new Kia Tasman?

The Tasman is longer than its rivals, however, that doesn't equate to the longest tub in the ute segment, nor the widest, with the Ranger and HiLux exceeding the Tasman in those metrics, according to our tape measure.

Having said that, the Tasman's tub is still the deepest, providing what the brand claims is "best-in-class" storage capacity in terms of litres. It also leads the other four models by total ground clearance.

Approach angles for the Tasman are yet to be revealed, though given its short overhangs, it's expected to challenge the approach/departure angles of the Toyota HiLux Rogue at 31/23 degrees and the Ford Ranger Wildtrak at 30/23 degrees. The D-Max X-Terrain's is 27.3/19 degrees.

2025 Kia Tasman

Chassis, suspension and payload: Is the Tasman more capable?

The Tasman has followed its rivals in adopting a body-on frame ladder chassis that is distinguished by longitudinal steel beams connected by multiple smaller ones that run in between and give the appearance of a ladder.

It is one of the oldest chassis configurations and is known for its high rigidity and off-road clearance capacity.

The Tasman has double wishbone suspension up front and a solid axle with leaf springs at the rear – standard fare in the ute segment and one that is also employed by the Ranger, HiLux and D-Max.

2024 Toyota HiLux Rogue (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Leaf springs are highly regarded for commercial applications, such as heavy payloads, given they provide a high level or rigidity and good compression.

It's no surprise, then, that the Tasman offers impressive payload capacities, all of which are in excess of one tonne with the lightest 2WD Tasman capable of lugging up to 1195kg in the tray.

For the X-Pro, Kia lists a payload capacity of 1017kg, plenty clear of the Ranger, D-Max and HiLux. That's great for capability, however, in Australia vehicles with more than a tonne of carrying capacity are not eligible for novated lease deals. We may yet see an ever higher trim variant aimed at lifestyle-oriented Aussie buyers.

Engine and power outputs: Will Tasman outpace the rest?

The Tasman falls shorter than its rivals on what is arguably the most important ute criteria of all: torque. But by no means does that suggest the Tasman is the least capable, rather, it is quite the contrary.

Not only does the Tasman adhere to the benchmark 3500kg braked towing capacity, it provides more payload capacity than all of its key rivals, suggesting the comparatively smaller 2.2-litre turbo-diesel unit pulled from the Kia Sorento makes for a more than capable work vehicle or tourer. It's also got a comparatively strong power peak, at 154kW.

The Tasman leads its rivals in fuel economy, too, sipping almost a litre less of fuel per 100km than the Ranger Wildtrak and 0.2-litres less than HiLux Rogue, which benefits from 48-volt starter generator assistance.

2025 Ford Ranger Wildtrak

That suggests the Tasman's engine will produce less carbon emissions than its rivals, which would explain why Kia opted for a smaller motor in the first instance.

Ultimately, that will mean the Tasman is less affected by the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) set to come into effect on January 1, which will limit the amount of carbon emissions emitted by light commercial vehicles to 210g/km. Every gram exceeded by each individual vehicle will incur a $100 levy from the federal government.

The Wildtrak and Rogue currently exceed the NVES limit with emissions of 220g/km, while the X-Terrain squeezes below at 208g/km.

*Specifications for the Ford Ranger Wildtrak are only for the four-cylinder engine, not the V6

Interior: Tasman is all about the cabin

This is one area where the Tasman comfortably leads the segment, particularly in terms of technology. It carries twin 12.3-inch screens for multimedia and the digital driver's display, with a 5.0-inch touch monitor for HVAC controls wedged in-between.

There's wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, digital radio, wireless charging and intuitive features like a large folding table mounted to the centre console.

Kia claims the Tasman has "class-leading" headroom, shoulder room and second row legroom, which makes sense given it is the longest vehicle in its class. The Tasman also comes with an additional 33-litres of under seat storage.

The Ranger Wildtrak's interior set up comes the closest, with a 10.1-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen and an 8.0-inch digital driver's display. It carries wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, too, as well as wireless charging and digital radio. Under seat storage is offered on the Wildtrak, however, Ford chooses not to quote a litre figure.

The D-Max X-Terrain carries a smaller 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with an 8.0-inch digital driver's display. It misses out on wireless charging, though.

The HiLux Rogue is well off the pace, providing only an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, no wireless charging pad and few clever storage spaces. However, Toyota are are set to upgrade this configuration next year when the new HiLux arrives.

Pricing: Where will Kia pitch the Tasman?

Pricing for the Kia Tasman is yet to be announced. The anticipation is that Kia will align the Tasman closely with rivals and the brand would be smart to undercut the likes of Ranger and HiLux. All is to be revealed soon.

*All prices are listed before on-road costs

So where does that leave the Tasman? Controversial styling and lower torque figure aside, Kia's new ute compares favourably on paper. Judgement on whether the Tasman really does redefine the segment, though, will need to wait until the our drive in mid-2025.