Review: 2025 Kia Tasman X-Pro

2025 Kia Tasman X-Pro Review: A Ute Built for Aussies

Every few decades, the ute market gets shaken up.

Toyota's HiLux and Ford's Ranger have long dominated the scene, leaving little room for newcomers. But Kia has thrown its hat into the ring with the all-new Tasman, a ute built from the ground up with Australian customers front and centre.

We had the chance to drive the Tasman X-Pro around Brisbane's southside over the weekend, putting it through both suburban daily-driver duties and an off-road shakedown where we tested Kia's new X-Trek mode.

And after a couple of days with it, one thing is clear: the Tasman doesn't just want to join the ute club - it wants to change the rules.

Designed for Australia, by Australia

Unlike many rivals that were adapted from overseas platforms, the Tasman was developed with heavy Australian input from day one.

Kia's Australian engineering team played a major role in tuning the suspension, power delivery, and towing systems to match our unique conditions - from hauling heavy trailers on hot highways to crawling through sandy creek crossings on the weekend.

Even the raw materials tell part of the story. A significant portion of the steel and other key inputs for the Tasman are sourced directly from Australia, giving it a deeper connection to the market it was designed for.

It's more than just a ute that happens to be sold here - it's one that owes much of its DNA to Australian expertise and resources.

That Aussie-first approach is clear in the details: the tub's width was designed to take a standard full-size Aussie pallet; the cooling system was built to handle 40-degree summer days; and the suspension calibration is tuned specifically for the mixed bag of roads we deal with in Brisbane and beyond.

Big, Bold and Practical

The first impression you get from the Tasman X-Pro is its sheer size. It's larger overall than the HiLux and a fraction bigger than the Ranger in width and length, giving it undeniable road presence.

That extra width pays off instantly inside the cabin. The Tasman feels broad, airy, and spacious, with none of the pinched-in sensation you get in some rivals. Rear-seat space is simply outstanding - honestly, it's closer to a big American pickup than a traditional dual-cab ute.

Legroom and headroom are excellent, even for taller passengers, and the shoulder room makes the back seat feel like a genuine place to spend time rather than a compromise. The rear bench folds up easily to reveal 45 litres of underseat storage, though you'll lose a bit of space thanks to the jack being stored there.

The tub itself is another highlight. At 1,220 mm between the arches, it's the best in class, making it one of the few utes that can take a standard pallet without hassle. The tray is designed to be tough and practical, with partition slots for tool organisation and - in the higher trims - a 240V outlet that's perfect for powering tools on site or a fridge at camp.

Behind the Wheel in Brisbane

Our weekend with the Tasman X-Pro started in Brisbane's southside suburbs, where the ute's refinement quickly stood out.

Many utes feel clunky and noisy in stop-start traffic, but Kia's engineers have nailed the ride and cabin insulation. The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel hums away quietly, providing useful feedback without being intrusive. Road noise and vibration are impressively muted, making the Tasman one of the most car-like utes we've driven in terms of refinement.

Around town, the steering feels well-weighted, the 8-speed auto shifts cleanly, and the broad torque band makes it easy to dart through traffic or merge onto the Pacific Motorway without stress. The turning circle isn't as tight as a smaller ute's, but that's the trade-off for the extra cabin and tray width.

Out on the highway, the Tasman settles into a confident rhythm. The adaptive cruise control with lane change assist (on X-Pro) makes long stretches of the M1 effortless, while the diesel engine feels unstressed, sitting in its torque band sweet spot between 1,750 and 2,750 rpm.

Taking It Off-Road: X-Trek Mode in Action

Of course, no ute review is complete without an off-road test, and this is where the Tasman X-Pro really flexes. With its approach angle of 32.2°, departure of 26.2°, ramp-over of 25.8°, and up to 252 mm of ground clearance, it stacks up well against off-road rivals like the Ranger Wildtrak and HiLux Rogue.

Engaging Kia's X-Trek mode - a crawl-control style feature that lets you set a low-speed cruise in 4L - turned out to be a revelation. We tested it on loose dirt and rocky climbs outside the city, and it made the Tasman feel accessible even to less experienced off-road drivers. The fixed 50:50 torque split in 4WD mode and selectable electronic rear diff lock gave extra confidence tackling uneven terrain.

The Terrain Modes (Auto, Snow, Mud, Sand) further simplified things by adjusting throttle and traction responses automatically. Paired with the recalibrated ESC, which avoids power cut-off on loose surfaces, the Tasman feels both capable and confidence-inspiring.

It's clear Kia wanted to design a ute that works for seasoned off-roaders but doesn't intimidate those new to 4WDing.

Interior: Comfort Meets Durability

Inside the X-Pro, Kia has gone for a mix of premium and practical. The artificial leather seats feel upmarket without being delicate, and the wide, supportive design makes long trips comfortable.

Both rows of seats are heated, with ventilated front seats adding an unexpected luxury touch. The sunroof (rare in this segment) makes the cabin feel even more spacious.

The panoramic dual-screen display stretches across the dash, combining a digital cluster with the infotainment system. It's crisp, responsive, and customisable.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and in the X-Pro, the eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system takes road-trip playlists to another level.

Connectivity is another strength. Between the multiple USB-C ports, wireless charging pads, and those clever 240V outlets, there's no shortage of ways to keep devices - or power tools - topped up. It's the sort of tech that blends everyday convenience with genuine utility.

Safety & Driver Assistance

Kia has thrown the full book of safety tech at the Tasman, much of it standard across the range.

Forward collision avoidance with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction detection, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and rear cross-traffic alert are all included. Higher trims add a 360-degree camera, blind spot view monitor, and even a ground-view camera - brilliant for both city parking and tricky off-road obstacles.

Highway Drive Assist 2, available on all but the base model, makes long-distance cruising a breeze, combining adaptive cruise with lane change assist. For families, the reassurance of rear occupant alerts, safe exit warnings, and a raft of airbags rounds out a seriously comprehensive safety package.

Pricing and Range

Kia has been smart with its pricing, deliberately undercutting Toyota on the workhorse models while matching Ford in the premium lifestyle space.

Entry-level Single Cab Chassis models start below the equivalent HiLux, targeting fleet and tradie buyers who want value without compromising capability.
Mid-range Dual Cab Pick-Ups sit comfortably under HiLux equivalents, making the Tasman a strong alternative for family and private buyers.
Top trims (X-Line and X-Pro) stretch into the $70K+ bracket, going head-to-head with Ranger Wildtrak, HiLux Rogue, and Amarok Aventura.

This two-pronged strategy means Kia can appeal to both ends of the market: the fleet manager chasing whole-of-life value and the lifestyle buyer chasing premium features without a Ford or Toyota badge tax.

Ownership and Running Costs

Kia's market-leading 7-year warranty applies to the Tasman, even for commercial buyers - a significant advantage over competitors with stricter commercial conditions.

Servicing is annual or every 15,000 km, with capped pricing running between $3,971 and $4,265 total across the seven years depending on the drivetrain.

Fuel economy figures are competitive, with 4x2 models sipping 7.4 L/100 km and the off-road-focused X-Pro returning 8.1 L/100 km. That's in line with rivals, though Kia's long warranty tips the scales in its favour for overall ownership value.

Overall Thoughts

Driving the Kia Tasman X-Pro around Brisbane over the weekend, and then pushing it off-road with X-Trek mode engaged, showed us a ute that's been designed with Australia at the heart of every decision. From its locally influenced engineering to its use of Aussie raw materials, this is a ute that feels truly at home here.

It's not chasing the Ranger's raw power or the HiLux's legacy - instead, it's carving its own identity as the smartest, most refined ute on the market. Whether you're a tradie, a family, or a weekend adventurer, the Tasman brings something genuinely fresh to the table.

The Kia Tasman is more than just Kia's first ute. It's Australia's new ute.

Ready to see if the Tasman is right for you? Visit us at Motorama Kia today or book a test drive - and experience the ute designed for Aussie roads, worksites, and adventures.