Kia Tasman Pickup Will Not Get a Quick Update
Kia is not showing particular concern over the moderate success of its Tasman pickup on the market. The car debuted without much fanfare, and even the company itself admits that sales in Australia for the year did not reach the expected level. Despite this, a model facelift is not planned in the near future.
In early December, realistic images of a pickup generated by artificial intelligence appeared on Kia’s official website. They sparked a wave of discussion in the media and on forums, raising hopes that an updated Tasman was already being prepared for release. However, these speculations were quickly denied.
The Brand’s Official Position on the Update
Roland Rivero, General Manager of Product Planning at Kia Australia, clearly stated that any rumors about accelerating the facelift are untrue. He emphasized that any updates will occur strictly in accordance with the model’s planned lifecycle, with no changes to the schedule.
“If there’s any rumor or if there’s any suggestion that we are going to fast-track a PE [product enhancement], or a facelift, that is completely incorrect. A facelift, as per usual, would fall within the milestones of the product lifecycle plan, and there’s no fast-tracking of any sort.”
Sales and Owner Reviews
Rivero also noted that new Tasman owners speak very positively about their purchase and recommend the model. However, the main problem for Kia remains sales volume. In the first five months of its presence on the Australian market, just over 3,700 cars were sold. Extrapolating this data for a year gives approximately 11,148 units, which is significantly below the company’s target of 20,000 cars per year.
The Weekender Concept Remains on Paper
A separate conceptual version of the pickup called the Weekender, presented earlier, attracts particular attention. It featured a more aggressive design, a modified front end, and wider wheel arches.
Despite public interest, this version has no concrete plans for mass production. Rivero explained that the Weekender concept, like similar developments for other models, serves as a source of inspiration for future updates, but at the moment it is merely a demonstration of ideas.
“Weekender has created some attention, but it remains a concept at this point in time. Whether it’s executed in an EV5, or it’s executed in a Tasman, they remain as concepts. Concepts can have multiple roles – they can inspire future PEs and future redesigns – but at this point in time, it [Tasman Weekender] is not planned to go into production.”
The situation with the Kia Tasman demonstrates a classic challenge for a new player in the competitive pickup market. On one hand, the brand has a quality product with good reviews from the first owners, which is a solid foundation. On the other hand, to achieve commercial success, it is necessary to significantly expand its presence and convince a wider range of buyers. The decision not to accelerate the facelift may indicate a long-term strategy aimed at gradually establishing the model, rather than an immediate reaction to market indicators. The success of this approach will depend on whether Kia can effectively strengthen its marketing and dealer network to turn positive reviews into real sales.