Kia Tasman Pickup Expected to Debut in Saudi Arabia

The Kia Tasman pickup is expected to debut at the Jeddah International Motor Show in Saudi Arabia, which will take place from October 29 to November 2.

While revealing this significant new model in Saudi Arabia may seem like an odd choice, the Tasman is intended for sale across the Middle East. Deliveries of the Tasman are expected to commence in 2025.

Kia has not yet confirmed the launch date, and reports regarding its debut in Jeddah come from the South Korean newspaper Maeil Business Newspaper. Several teaser videos for the Tasman have been released in recent months.

The truck has undergone over 18,000 rounds of testing and has been taken to some of the most rugged and undeveloped areas on the planet, including Middle Eastern deserts and remote regions of Australia. Recently, the vehicle was shown testing on sand dunes.

Additionally, Kia has conducted extensive testing on the vehicle to ensure it can handle anything in the future. The Tasman will compete with the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, but it will also go up against the likes of the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max. It is expected to be built on the same platform that supports the second generation of the Mohave and is likely to come standard with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder CRDi engine producing 199 horsepower and 441 Nm of torque.

Some reports have suggested that a larger 3.0-liter turbo diesel V6 engine may be offered, as well as a high-performance version to compete with the Ranger Raptor equipped with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. The main markets for the Tasman include the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The vehicle may also be available in Europe.

However, it is unlikely that the Tasman will be sold in the United States due to the 25% tariff imposed on imported light trucks.