Kia has raised expectations for its new authentic pickup with the release of a development video.
On the 16th (Tuesday), Kia revealed a teaser of the video series documenting the development of its first-ever authentic pickup, the Kia Tasman.
One More Round symbolizes Tasman’s adventurous spirit of “challenging every day to surpass higher standards,” and Kia included the story behind the Tasman’s development, having undergone over 18,000 rounds of rigorous testing.
To ensure a high-quality market-ready product, Kia has conducted severe testing across various regions, including the U.S., Sweden, Australia, and the Middle East, during a development period of more than four years.
The types of tests that Tasman has gone through include ▲ Off-road specialized performance tests like Rock/Sand mode ▲ Durability tests ▲ Ride & Handling tests ▲ Trailing stability tests ▲ Water crossing tests, totaling a staggering 1,777 types, and by the filming point of One More Round (May 2024), the cumulative number of tests exceeded 18,000.
Kia plans to unveil One More Round in segments, including ▲ Off-road testing segment ▲ Water crossing segment ▲ Track testing segment ▲ On-road testing in Australia for durability improvement and regional optimization ▲ Interview segments with development researchers, starting from the 22nd (Monday) through October.
Yang Hee-won, head of Hyundai Motor Group R&D Division, commented, “Tasman is a vehicle that Kia has been preparing for a very long time” and added, “In line with the title of being the first, we have done our utmost in all areas of the research institute to present satisfying performance. “
Meanwhile, the name ‘Tasman’ is derived from the ‘island of inspiration’, ‘Tasmania’, located at the southernmost end of Australia, and the Tasman Sea. Kia received significant attention for unveiling a prototype covered in organic and bold patterns inspired by Australia’s wild beauty at the 2024 Busan Mobility Show.
Kia plans to hold a world premiere event to fully unveil the Tasman to the public for the first time in the second half of the year, followed by a sequential release and sale in markets, starting in Korea, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East in the first half of 2025.
The teaser video for the One More Round series of the Kia Tasman can be found on Kia Worldwide and KYA TV’s YouTube channels and the brand’s website.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr