Go to Australia says there’s still a lot of work to do on his new one Tasman ute, but admitted that its more fleet-oriented variants are not selling as well as originally forecast.
Speaking to media to mark the launch of the new K4 Hatch and updated Stonic light SUV, Kia Australia Chief Operating Officer Dennis Piccoli noted that an evolving market and low fleet sales could mean the Korean brand’s previous annual sales forecast of 20,000 units could “take more than 12 months”.
“We can see where we’re missing out. (We) see how our X-Series cars (X-Line,
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“That’s partly because the fleet content at Tasman isn’t where it needs to be, but that’s coming together. I think you’ll see there will be a hockey stick at Tasman by 2026 (in terms of sales performance) without a doubt.”
“In Tasman our targets have always been quite ambitious. The reality is the (dual cab) segment has become much more fragmented,” Mr Piccoli continued.
“Whether it’s powertrains – whether hybrid or diesel – the number of brands that are there, the brands that rely so heavily on their (utes) product, and just the general level of aggressiveness in the market… it’s extremely competitive.”
“We’re working on where we want to be overall in 2026. We’re not a one-car company, we’re not a Tasman car company, we don’t want to be a Carnival car company. We want a good breakdown of cars… so we have to find the right mix that makes economic sense for us.”
Asked directly about the company’s commitment to hitting its long-announced annual target of 20,000 units, Mr. Piccoli replied: “We’ll see.”
“We are working towards it, but our growth plan to reach 20,000 units may take more than 12 months at this point. Could we do 20,000? Without a doubt we can. Do we want to get in the fray and do what needs to be done to achieve that? That’s a big question mark,” he said, suggesting that Kia is reluctant to enter a discount war or introduce cheaper variants.
Since the Tasman’s staggered launch began in July, it has barely moved 3700 units in both 4×2 and 4×4 models. As of November 30, it accounts for just 1.0 and 1.8 percent of the 4×2 and 4×4 ute markets, respectively.
In comparison, the leading Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux attract more than this total monthly volume, highlighting the large sales gap between the new Kia and the market leaders.
In a follow-up interview with Daily SparkzKia Australia general manager of product Roland Rivero suggested that depending on the next 12 to 18 months, the company would be more inclined to rationalize the local Tasman range rather than expand it further when asked about adjustments to the range to boost sales.
“For a Kia product, (the Tasman) is by far the most complex Kia product we have on the market in terms of the number of variants, the number of trims and the payload of 0.9 versus 1.0 tonnes etc. There are many variants there that need to be managed by the respective inventory controllers in our dealer network,” Mr Rivero said.
“We need to be aware of that and not just introduce more and more (variants). We need to maintain that balance and monitor the market accordingly in terms of which products have high demand – and it might even mean some rationalization for those that aren’t high in the (overall sales) mix.”
However, the first single cab/chassis versions of the Tasman will arrive at local dealers in January-February 2026, forming a key building block in the Korean brand’s attack on the fleet ute market.
“At this point we don’t even have the entire lineup,” Mr. Piccoli said. “The fleets don’t necessarily travel in January, they start in February-March.”
Mr Rivero added that a more holistic view of the Tasman’s mileage and consumer sentiment will be clearer once the full range is in market.
Since launch, the 2025-2026 Kia Tasman range has been exclusively crew cab, with 4×2 and 4×4 powertrains available in five different trim levels – S, SX, SX+, X-Line and X-Pro.
The only 4×2 is the entry-level S crew cab pickup, and the only cab/chassis variants are the base S and SX, while the other five grades are 4×4 crew cab pickups.
All Tasmans are powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel producing 154kW/440Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission is also standard across the entire range, as is a braked towing capacity of 3,500 kg.
Prices currently start at $42,990 plus on-road costs for the Tasman S 4×2 double cab pickup. For comparison, the cheapest 4×2 crew cab pickup version of the best-selling Ranger costs $43,530 plus on-road.
To boost sales of introductory variants, Kia is currently promoting most new Tasman and demo vehicles with deposit contributions of up to $4,000 and complimentary accessory packs. Many dealers also advertise big discounts in the classified ads.
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MORE: Explore the Kia Tasman showroom
