The 2026 Kia Tasman definitely looks…interesting, but there’s no word on a U.S. launch.
By now, we’re all familiar with the well-established players in the truck game here in the U.S. “Kia” isn’t a name you’d expect, but if you’ve been following rumors and teasers over the past several months, then you’re familiar with the impending Tasman pickup’s arrival. It’s not just teasers anymore, though, as the automaker revealed its first body-on-frame truck to the world Tuesday at the Jeddah Motor Show in Saudi Arabia. That’s a strong hint as to this model’s intended market, but we’ll get into that in deeper detail in a moment.
First…and I’m sure this is the first question burning in your mind: “Why on Earth does it look like that?” It’s certainly, ahem, let’s go with unusual. Pitched squarely as a truck for the growing “lifestyle-oriented” sector, Kia says its designers eschewed traditional design language — I know, knock me over with a feather — for an aesthetic that starts “with a basic, honest form that highlights the vehicle’s sense of solid power through simple yet functional elements, without relying on the oversized styling that has come to dominate the pickup segment.”
Tell that to the front end. You do get a large, upright fascia with a prominent, new style “KIA” badge above the grille, as well as a steeply raked windshield. Along the sides, you get matte black fenders that contain storage boxes, while the front ones combine with the relatively small headlight assemblies. The doors actually look punched out along the bottom, while you get simple, chunky door handles and a basic bed design with small taillights out back.
Like GM’s trucks, Kia also integrated bed steps into the rear bumpers, while you also get a 220-volt bed outlet.
Speaking of the cab and bed…
Interestingly, at least for those of us in North America, Kia aims to launch the Tasman with a variety of cab and bed configurations. Beyond your stereotypical crew cab, short bed setup (Kia says it measures out to just under 5 feet), the automaker shows chassis cab variants as well as a single cab option to offer more bed space, if you stick with the base trim.
Overall, the 2026 Kia Tasman rides on a 128.7-inch wheelbase, while the total length (in your “double cab” configuration) comes out to 213 inches. So, its wheelbase is about 10 inches longer than the Hyundai Santa Cruz, while the total length measures out about half a foot shorter than the Jeep Gladiator, making it what we’d consider a midsize truck. Because it’s body-on-frame, though, unlike the Santa Cruz or the Honda Ridgeline, the Tasman boasts a 7,716-pound (or 3,500 kg) towing capacity. All Tasman models get an integrated trailer brake controller as standard equipment.
On top of that, rear-wheel drive variants of the Kia Tasman manage approximately 2,635 pounds (1,195 kg) of payload, which actually puts it between a half-ton and HD truck in terms of what it can haul in the bed.
What’s this I hear about a diesel engine and manual transmission?
As if you need any more evidence that this is a global market truck, let’s take a look at the powertrains. You do get multiple options, unlike an increasing number of trucks in North America, with the first being a 2.5-liter gasoline engine. The turbocharged gasser manages 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, which gives it an output nearly identical to the Hyundai Santa Cruz, and pairs exclusively to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The base Tasman trim — excuse me, ‘Baseline’ Tasman — comes with rear-wheel drive by default, while you can naturally get all-wheel drive standard on the upper X-Line and X-Pro models.
Alternatively, overseas buyers in the Middle East and Africa will get the option of a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel, managing 207 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. Folks who opt for the oil-burner instead of the gas engine also get another pedal to work the 6-speed manual transmission. That’s another feature that is pretty much extinct from trucks in North America, with the notable exception (from 2025 forward, at least) of the Toyota Tacoma.
Depending on the model, the 2026 Kia Tasman either gets 17-inch or 18-inch wheel options. All-wheel drive Baseline and X-Line trims get Snow, Mud and Sand (or Desert, in some markets) drive modes, while the X-Pro gets a special Rock mode and X-Trek, which is a sort of low-speed off-road cruise control. AWD models also get a selectable low-range as well as 4-High and 4-Auto settings, and can wade up to 31.5 inches of water. The Tasman X-Pro further gets an electronic rear locking differential, as well as an extra 1.1 inches of suspension lift, for a total ground clearance of 9.5 inches.
Looking inside the 2026 Kia Tasman
While the exterior is anything but conventional, the interior largely incorporates features we’ve seen on Kia’s other models in recent years. The large display panel houses two 12.9-inch screens with a smaller 5-inch unit sandwiched between the two for your climate controls. That setup first appeared on the electric EV9 SUV.
Other useful features on the 2026 Kia Tasman include dual wireless charging pads, as well as a center console which had a folding lid that turns into a makeshift table, like the Ford F-150. Unlike many of Kia’s other models, automatic versions also get a column-mounted gear selector, while you also get the same range of driver assist features that you’d normally expect, like Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 system, though it’s been “optimized with trailer profile functionality” here.
Under the second-row “slouch & slide” seats, you get an additional 1.2 cubic feet of storage.
Should the Tasman come to the U.S.?
Kia says it will launch the Tasman pickup in South Korea during the first half of next year. After that, the brand’s first pickup will filter out to several popular truck markets including Australia, Africa and the Middle East. However, there is currently no word on whether the 2026 Kia Tasman will ever come to the U.S. market.
If it does make its way to North America, it’s likely we’ll only see the gas variant. But would it be popular? With the hot demand for midsize trucks right now, we think Kia could make a strong business case for the Tasman on our shores…but its ultimate success will probably hinge around that unconventional, and likely polarizing, design.
