2025 Kia Tasman X-Pro on road test

Pricing and accessories 

The top-spec X-Pro sits at the top end of the lineup, that also includes five other variants, and costs $79,690 (plus on-road costs). It’s not exactly a bargain and once you start adding accessories – such as towbar, tray lid, and running boards – the price starts to add up. 

If we’re honest, forking out a little bit more for the top-end variant and dressing it up a bit is worth the extra dosh as the base model stock versions look a bit basic. Luckily, Kia have made it super easy to accessorise the Tasman. Before launch, Kia worked alongside selected parts manufacturers to put together a catalogue of almost 150 different accessories, meaning they receive factory backing and can be brought straight from the dealership.

The blocky styling

The design of the Tasman is obviously influenced by Kia’s experience building military vehicles. The squared off edges and chunky wheel arches give it a larger-than-life appearance and feels quite similar to the Hummer (a military derived vehicle).  

Its rugged and dependable appearance leans into the functional and versatile capabilities of the Tasman. The gigantic proportions give it a huge presence and equally large feeling on the road. The X-Pro comes with 17-inch alloys and 265/70 tyres fitted giving it a more rugged and capable appearance than the other variants.

Premium interior

Stepping inside, it feels more like a premium SUV than something you’d expect to go off-road in. The panoramic screen is bright and functional, and split into three distinct sections – infotainment, climate control, and instrument cluster. While all variants receive Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, the X-Pro gets dual wireless phone charging, and a Harmon/Kardon sound system as standard equipment. 

The composite leather upholstery adds to the interior’s premium feel, while deep dish rubber mats (as standard) are a subtle reminder that the floor will probably see a lot of muddy boots. Despite the clearly rugged exterior, the interior is a lovely place to be and is packed with luxurious features. 

Other standard equipment includes, heated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, and paddle shifters. Furthermore, the blind spot monitoring that brings up a small camera view on the dashboard when you indicate is a handy feature brought over from Kia’s flagship EV9. Kia clearly didn’t hold back.

Size and powertrain

Measuring nearly 2 metres wide and just over 5.4 metres long, it’s safe to say that the Tasman has a gigantic road presence. While it’s wheelbase is the same as a Ford Ranger (3270mm), the Tasman is longer meaning you get more overhang which can make navigating tight spaces difficult – the tail did feel like it extended out quite far. 

Despite its size, it feels incredibly stable and planted on the road. However, we did notice that it was a bit bouncy on the motorway with nothing in the tray to weigh it down. Turning onto a b-list road proved that it handles brilliantly – even body roll is kept to a minimum. 

No matter what Tasman you get, you’ll get the same 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine that produces 154kW of power and 440Nm of torque which is about standard for larger utes these days. Being a single-turbo diesel engine, it inevitably has a bit of turbo lag that is felt from a standstill and when planting your foot, but around corners it managed to maintain power throughout.

The eight-speed auto is smooth, and gear changes are quick and seamless. The X-Pro receives a column mounted gear selector and start/stop switch attached just below the indicator stalk making it difficult to find, resulting in an awkward hand movement to start the engine.  

At 9.3L/100km, the X-Pro is the thirstiest of the Tasman range despite all of them having the same engine. During our weeklong road test, we averaged approximately 10.1L/100km on a mix of urban and rural driving which falls just short of the stated figure. 

Rugged offroad capabilities 

The Tasman’s crowning achievement is its offroad abilities. The X-Pro gets four selectable drive modes, including 2H (2WD high), 4H (4WD high), 4A (4WD Auto), 4L (4Wd low range), and an electromechanical locking differential. A terrain mode switch on the steering wheel offers four modes, including Snow, Sand, Mud, and additional Rock mode which features X-TREK Mode, allowing the Tasman to ‘crawl’ over rugged terrain (low speed off-road cruise control).

With two 240V outputs, one in the tray the other underneath the back seats in the cabin, you can use the Tasman to power your tools and supply power in any situation, anywhere. 

Towing

The Tasman has a 350Kg towball download weight and overall tow capacity of 3,500kg maximum tow (braked) which is standard among similar utes in the market. The Tasman does boast a Gross Combined Mass of 6,200Kg which is up there with the Ranger.

Verdict

The jury is still out on the Tasman’s overall aesthetics, but you can’t deny that the X-Pro is the pick of the range. It’s loaded with all the best features and feels the most luxurious. While the starting price is a little steep considering you’ll be paying for accessories on top, the factory backed accessories makes it a simple job.