Kia's first pickup truck, the Kia Tasman (Tasman), has surpassed 4,000 units in just over a month. With the popularity of the Tasman, there is growing interest in whether the pickup truck market, which has been overshadowed by 1-ton (t) trucks like the Porter and Bonggo, can revive.
According to Kia on the 9th, the Tasman surpassed 4,000 contracts on the 7th, just 17 business days after its domestic launch on the 13th of last month. In less than a month since its release, it has sold about 30% of last year's total domestic pickup sales (13,475 units). Notably, sales on the first day alone exceeded 2,200 units.
Pickup truck sales have decreased year after year. According to the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association (KAMA), the combined pickup sales of the five domestic finished car manufacturers peaked at 42,619 units in 2019, but have been declining each year, projected to total 13,475 units in 2024. The proportion of pickup truck sales in the overall passenger car market has dropped significantly from 3.3% in 2019 to 1.1% in 2024.
The main reason for the decline in sales is attributed to the lack of new models. Until now, the only pickup trucks from the five domestic finished car manufacturers were the Rexton Sport and Korando Sport from KG Mobility and the Colorado and Sierra from GM Korea. While the Rexton Sport monopolized about 90% of the pickup truck market, its aging since its launch in 2018 has led to a reduction in the market itself. Hyundai Motor Company's pickup truck, the Santa Cruz, is sold only in the United States.
The finished car industry anticipates that Kia's Tasman and KG Mobility's new pickup brand, the Musso, will invigorate the pickup truck market.
The Tasman features a combination of a 2.5-liter turbo gasoline engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission, delivering a maximum output of 281 horsepower (PS), maximum torque of 43.0 kgf·m, and a combined fuel efficiency of 8.6 km/L. It is available in trims such as Dynamic, Adventure, and Extreme. There is also an off-road specialized X-PRO model. The starting price is 37.5 million won. It is expected to be delivered to customers as early as the end of this month.