2 weeks ago
20
Mass vehicle production may no longer take place here, but Australia is still entrusted by some of the world's biggest car makers to help develop new models – and the Kia Tasman is just the latest.
The 2025 Kia Tasman has finally been shown to the world, with the company revealing its Australian arm was set up as a "mini technical centre" to help develop the model.
With the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux taking the top sales spot in Australia for almost a decade, Kia Australia was trusted to help develop the Tasman for the international market – with the ute not only receiving its name from here, but also getting kangaroos on the door mirrors as a nod to its Aussie roots.
"Given its importance for our market – [with] a significant mix of sales to come from the land Down Under – no other product in the Kia range has ever had this level of involvement from Kia Australia during the product development process," said Roland Rivero, General Manager of Product Planning for Kia Australia.
"You can see here the numerous examples covering multiple development aspects of Tasman, the countless trips to Namyang [research and development centre in South Korea], the numerous engineers that we've hosted locally has been unprecedented.
"Every step of the way, Kia HQ and R&D have asked for our advice and our opinion. From concept development to naming, seat design, towing, wading, durability, vehicle dynamics – the list goes on.
"For this first-generation ute, Kia Australia has acted as a mini technical centre, and we're pretty proud of our involvement and influence," he added.
Despite Australia's mass vehicle production ending, several vehicles – mainly utes and four-wheel-drives – have been developed to some degree on local soil, including the Ford Ranger, Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, and now, the Kia Tasman.
"Like every other Kia product in the range, the Tasman is going through a substantial local ride and handling program – however, unlike any other product in the range, our level of involvement has been greater than ever," Mr Rivero said.
Graeme Gambold, Kia Australia's Chief Engineer for ride and handling, is tasked with adjusting the suspension of Kia models sold in Australia, adjusting shock absorbers to better suit local conditions.
But in the case of the Tasman, Mr Rivero said Australian input was sought from the very beginning.
"We were very, very much involved in the shortlisting of hard [suspension] parts, and our feedback and robust yet respectful negotiations has greatly influenced the Tasman's on-road dynamics.
"Our initial tuning work is looking very promising, and up against dynamic benchmarks – [such as] the Ford Ranger – the Tasman is competitive, offering excellent ride comfort, capable and confident cornering capability," he said.
"It's a confident urban dweller, and even better on the open road, or on rough country roads."
Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.
