Kia Australia has wound back expectations for its Tasman ute, with newly-appointed CEO Dennis Piccoli conceding the model won’t hit the 20,000 annual sales target the brand originally flagged.
Piccoli says he is “absolutely confident in the product” and that volumes will grow from current levels – running at less than one quarter of the original target – although he declined to nominate a number.
FULL DETAILS: Kia Tasman ute
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A hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain – likely the 2.5-litre hybrid used in the Palisade from sister brand Hyundai – is at least two years away, with Kia tying any powertrain expansion to the model’s product enhancement (PE) upgrade, expected towards the end of the decade.
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In the meantime, the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine isn’t going anywhere — and Kia argues it has a structural advantage over rivals in sustaining it.
Under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), running a diesel-powered commercial vehicle can attract significant penalties for CO2 emissions, but Kia says its broad EV and hybrid portfolio allows it to offset those costs in a way some competitors without that depth simply cannot.
Kia Australia’s general manager of marketing, Dean Norbiato ,noted that while a hybrid Tasman is still a couple of years away, “we do have a mix of other cars in our lineup that’s doing the heavy lifting for us from an NVES perspective”.
The brand points to strong rural demand as another reason to hold the diesel line, with Norbiato saying the necessity of diesel “particularly in rural Australia, will continue.”
Piccoli was direct about the brand’s long-term commitment despite the slow start.
“We’re playing a long game,” he said, adding that Kia’s product planning extends seven years out and that Tasman is a “key player” in that plan.
“It hasn’t been a year yet,” Piccoli said of the Tasman’s time on sale. “It’s taking longer than we thought, but we are 110 per cent committed to the product.”
