With more than one in every two Tasman ute sales expected to be to fleet customers, Kia Australia general manager of fleet Chris Forbes has explained the decisions taken to bolster the Tasman’s appeal to fleet customers:
- Seven year warranty for fleet buyers
- Large dealer network fitting 40-plus accessories
- Co-ordination with service body manufacturers
- Lobbying to residual value setters
The star-studded Tasman launch campaign has given way to a tough and capable ute, but not every metric beats the competition for fleet usage.
Broad Dealer-Fit Accessory Portfolio for Tasman Fleet Readiness
Development of Tasman accessories occurred in tandem with the development of the ute itself with the first accessory prototyping occurring in January 2022.
Over 30,000km of durability testing was done by Tasmans kitted out with Australian-engineered accessories, most of which are sourced from Queensland brand EGR and built in Thailand.
Kia will leave design and fitment of bespoke fleet service bodies to the aftermarket.
“We have been working with a number of service body companies to ensure they have the ability to sell those bodies at the same time as a (Tasman),” Forbes said.
Kia dealers are able to fit more than 40 accessories before delivery for Tasman fleet and retail buyers alike, with the portfolio including:
- Commercial canopy with side/rear opening panels, optional roof rails
- Front bars in full hoop, single hoop (safari-style) or bar replacement style
- Tonneau and roller shutter cover options
- Towbar kit, with/without 2x GVM-rated recovery hooks
- Roof racks
- Side steps in platform/tubular designs
- Bonnet/headlamp protection
Kia says fitment of a front bar does not disrupt the five-star ANCAP rating bestowed on fleet-focussed versions of the Tasman (S, SX and SX+ grades).
Missing from the list are expanded lighting (such as light bars), and while a snorkel does not yet appear in the accessory brochure, it is coming soon.
Takeaway for fleets
Fleet buyers can order Tasmans kitted out with a wide range of common accessories via any of the 150-plus Kia dealers in Australia, and aftermarket fitment of service bodies can be organised to be conducted before vehicle delivery.
Fleets Should Watch Out for Limited GCM, Mixed ANCAP Result
The Tasman range consists of double-cab pick-ups (here now), double cab-chassis (arriving imminently), and single cab-chassis (before the end of 2025). S, SX and SX+ trims are aimed at fleets, as only they carry a 2025 five-star ANCAP safety rating due to a front-end pedestrian safety ‘scoop’.
All versions use a 2.2-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder making 154kW/440Nm and have an eight-speed auto. No manual is available in any grade.
While GVM is competitive at 3250kg, fleet operators needing to tow should note the limited range-wide GCM of 6200kg.
For the double-cab pick-ups, while payload is reasonable at 1025kg (1124kg 4×2) and braked towing capacity is 3500kg with TBM of 350kg, payload when towing the full rated mass is very limited at 125kg (4×4) or 224kg (4×2).
Advice for fleets
For fleets needing to tow heavy loads, the Tasman S 4×2 models have noticeably higher payload limits when hauling 3500kg.
Fleets Travelled to Korea To Evaluate Tasman Before Launch
While Kia believes its seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty will appeal to Tasman fleet buyers, it needed to address a lack of residual value data.
The importance of residual values to fleet customers was not lost on Kia ahead of the launch of the Tasman, which as a new nameplate has no historical RV precedent or reputation in the Australian market.
“In November [2024] we took a small but important group of fleet customers and residual value setters to Korea to give them an early viewing of the Tasman to help establish the nameplate and product in their minds,” Forbes told Fleet Auto News.
“It seems that was quite positive for us. Early indications are we do have a strong residual value and we expect that will certainly help our vehicle sales moving forward.”
Stronger residuals for the Tasman help to bolster the ute’s TCO proposition alongside the fact that Tasmans on-sold after three, four or five years still have a number of years of warranty remaining.
Implication for fleets
Tasman’s TCO should be superior to most new-brand utes, given its long warranty applies to fleet customers while Kia Australia execs have privately lobbied for strong RV data.
Final Word: Tasman Untested, But Will Challenge D-Max and Triton
Real-world utilisation by fleets will be the real test for the Kia Tasman, and with fleets central to achieving Kia Australia’s sales targets for the ute, fleet managers should expect to see Kia’s heavy marketing of the ute continue.
Behind the scenes, Kia will leverage its range of battery electric vehicles to obtain credits under Australia’s NVES laws, helping to minimise the impacts of the Tasman’s CO2 emissions on its bottom line.
That is an advantage that Isuzu lacks, and Mitsubishi distantly trails, and this factor may allow Kia to maintain reasonable acquisition pricing for Tasman operators into the future.
