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Kia's pickup truck, the Tasman, has shown promising results in its first month since launch. It has recorded sales of about 4,000 units during this period. This performance has sparked interest in whether the Tasman can revitalize the pickup truck market, which had previously been dominated by 1-ton trucks like the Porter and Bongo.

Kia reports that the Tasman surpassed 4,000 contracts within 17 business days after its domestic launch on the 13th of last month. This accounts for about 30% of the total domestic pickup truck sales of approximately 13,000 units, achieved in less than a month since its release. On the first day of launch alone, sales exceeded 2,200 units.

Domestic pickup truck sales have been declining annually. The five major domestic automakers' pickup sales peaked at about 42,000 units in 2019 but have since decreased, recording around 13,000 units in 2024. The share of pickups in overall passenger vehicle sales also dropped from 3.3% in 2019 to 1.1% in 2024, a third of its previous level.

The shrinking pickup truck market is attributed to a lack of new models. The five major domestic automakers' pickup truck lineup consisted mainly of KG Mobility's Rexton Sports, Korando Sports, and GM Korea's Colorado and Sierra.

The Rexton Sports once dominated 90% of the domestic pickup truck market, but its share has been declining since 2018. Hyundai's pickup truck, the Santa Cruz, was only sold in the U.S. market.

In 2025, the Kia Tasman and KG Mobility's new pickup brand, Musso, have injected new life into the domestic pickup truck market. The Tasman combines a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission, producing a maximum output of 281 horsepower and a peak torque of 311 lb-ft.

The Tasman has a certified combined fuel efficiency of 20.2 mpg. It measures 213 inches [5410 mm] in length, 76 inches [1930 mm] in width, and 73.6 inches [1870 mm] in height. Kia has launched the Tasman in Dynamic, Adventure, and Extreme trims, with a starting price of $28,800 USD. Domestic customer deliveries are expected to begin at the end of this month. There's also a possibility that the Tasman may be released as an electric vehicle.

In the United States, fewer than 10 electric pickup trucks are currently on sale, with poor sales performance due to high prices and reduced range when towing.

If Kia can offer competitive performance at a reasonable price in this market, the likelihood of launching a Tasman EV is high. The electric Tasman is reportedly under development with a 123 kWh battery capacity, aiming for a combined driving range of 280 miles [450 km] on a single charge.

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