Kia has filed a trademark application for the Tasman name in Australia, New Zealand, and several other countries around the world. It’s unclear precisely what it is for, but there’s a chance it could be the moniker for the brand’s new pickup truck that’s allegedly in development. Kia filed the first of several applications in April, and they are currently under review.
Kia’s lineup continues to grow, yet a modern pickup for the global market is still missing from the lineup as the body style remains as popular as ever. The automaker does plan to rectify the issue, announcing last year that it plans to launch two electric pickups by 2027. However, it is possible that the proposed pickup for emerging markets might also accommodate combustion engines, which could be the truck destined for Australia and New Zealand.
The Korean car company has allegedly informed Australian dealers that it will introduce a new ute in 2025. It’s reportedly a four-door body-on-frame truck that will be available with a diesel engine to help it meet the automaker’s towing and payload capacity targets. Kia allegedly began developing the vehicle in 2020, and it will compete against pickups like the Toyota Hilux and the Ford Ranger.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, the company also filed trademark applications for Tasman in Uruguay, Costa Rica, and France. There is no indication that Kia has filed a trademark application for the name with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
It’s unclear if Kia plans to bring the Tasman to the US, but it seems unlikely. Reports from Australia suggest that the company is using the region as a vital testbed for the vehicle’s benchmark. A diesel-powered, body-on-frame pickup for emerging markets doesn’t sound ripe for American tastes. We’ll likely get the EV that’s a dedicated model riding on a bespoke electric platform as Kia intends to begin producing the ute in the US starting next year. However, anything is possible.
With two trucks in development, we should begin seeing the fruits of that work soon. If Kia plans to launch a new truck in Australia in 2025, then we could see it break cover as soon as next year. The midway point of 2023 is quickly approaching, which means many automakers are likely already planning for 2025 and beyond.
