Kia Tasman desperate to learn from Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger
Design changes already mooted along with fleet customers for Kia's first bakkie in Australia.
Kia is determined to improve the sales of its new bakkie model, the Tasman, despite struggling to meet its monthly sales target of 100 units since its introduction in April. The Korean automaker sold fewer than 60 Tasman vehicles in June and July, falling short of the 73 it sold in April alone. Kia South Africa's CEO, Paul Turnbull, remains optimistic, stating that the slow sales in Australia did not deter the brand and that Kia is determined to gain a following in South Africa. The company plans to keep pushing forward, aiming to reach its goal of 100 monthly sales.
HG Kim, president of Kia Middle East & Africa, acknowledged the importance of learning from the Australian market. He noted that Kia is considering redesigning the front styling of the Tasman based on input from Australian customers, as well as those in fleet segments. The brand's design plans for the fleet market are expected to be followed by an entirely new design.
Kia's competition in the bakkie segment includes the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux, both of which have loyal customer bases. To catch up to these established players, Kia is focusing on developing a range that caters to fleet customers. The Tasman's pricing starts at R679,995 for the LX model and goes up to R1,004,999 for the X Pro 4×4. Powered by a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine producing 154kW and 440Nm of torque, the vehicle is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
