Kia Tasman Pickup Truck Achieves Strong Sales in Debut Month
South Korea’s Kia Motors announced impressive sales figures for its new pickup truck, the Tasman, selling over 4,000 units in its first month on the market. The performance has immediately sparked optimism for the vehicle’s impact on the local pickup truck sector.
According to company officials, more than 4,000 Tasman trucks were sold in February. This milestone was achieved within just 17 days of the Tasman’s launch on February 13th. This sales tally represents almost 30 percent of all pickup trucks sold in the country during 2024, according to the Yonhap news agency.
In 2024, five major automakers – Hyundai Motor Co., Kia, GM Korea Co., Renault Korea Motors Co., and KG Mobility Corp. (KGM) – collectively sold 13,475 pickup trucks in South Korea, as reported by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA). Annual pickup truck sales have been declining, dropping from 42,619 in 2019 to 38,117 in 2020, 29,567 in 2021, 28,753 in 2022, and 17,455 the following year.
Market analysts suggest that the limited selection of pickup truck models from the five automakers has contributed to the decline in domestic demand. However, the Kia Tasman’s arrival is expected to boost consumer interest in the segment. Prior to the Tasman’s release, the South Korean market only offered four pickup truck models, two from KGM and two from GM Korea.
The Kia Tasman made its initial appearance at the 2024 Jeddah International Motor Show in Saudi Arabia. The all-wheel-drive Tasman is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, producing 281 horsepower, and is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, as stated by the company.
In other news, Kia’s overall monthly sales for February increased by 4.5 percent year-over-year. The company experienced growth in both domestic and international markets. Kia, an affiliate of industry leader Hyundai Motor Co., sold 253,850 vehicles last month, compared to 242,917 units in the same period last year. Domestic sales saw a 4.5 percent annual increase, reaching 46,003 units, while overseas sales rose by 4.4 percent to 207,462 units.
By vehicle model, the Sportage sport utility vehicle (SUV) was the top-selling model in both domestic and international markets, with 46,287 units sold. The Sorento and Seltos followed, with sales of 24,173 and 24,040 units, respectively.
A Kia official said that the company plans to maintain its sales momentum with the introduction of competitive new models, including the EV4 electric vehicle (EV) and the Tasman pickup truck, in the future.
