Once again, a cool truck won’t be making its way to the United States.
Back in October 2024, Kia announced the release of the Tasman, a new midsized truck to be debuted in 2025. The Tasman is Kia’s first-ever pickup truck, and excitement around the vehicle has been growing since its debut. Initially, Kia confirmed that the Tasman would be heading to a few international markets including Australia, the Middle East, and Africa, after its initial debut in South Korea. While it wasn’t explicitly stated that the Tasman wouldn’t be available on our shores, it also wasn’t denied… until now.
It’s been confirmed that Kia’s all-wheel drive adventure rig will not be sold in the U.S., disappointing would-be fans of the new mid-sized truck. A Kia representative confirmed with Car and Driver that the truck won’t be launched in the U.S., saying “that while it would make sense for the company to sell a truck in the U.S. market, it won’t be the Tasman.”
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America is home to one of the most lucrative and competitive automotive markets on the planet. While it’s a bummer that the Tasman won’t be seen on our roads any time soon, it makes sense from Kia’s perspective: by dodging the North American market and selling the truck elsewhere, the manufacturer is avoiding being overshadowed by the competition and setting its truck up for success.
Although the truck won’t be sold in the U.S., it will launch in South Korea in the first half of 2025, with launches in Australia, the Middle East, and Africa to follow.
If you’re still curious and would like to learn more about the Tasman, you can read our coverage of the Tasman’s release here.
