Cold water. That is the metaphor. And Kia is pouring it directly on the idea of building an off-roader from the Tasman ute.
A top global executive, Spencer Cho, shut it down during a chat with CarExpert in South Korea. He said we need to focus on what they do better.
A ladder-frame SUV based on the new ute? “Could be an option.” Technically yes. Practically no. Their current lineup is just big enough. Adding more choices doesn’t always work, he argues. It can actually backfire.
“Our model line is big enough… [we are] focus[ing] on the product improvements.”
It’s a valid point. Kia has internal combustion engines. It has nearly a full electric line-up too. Spreading resources thinner might just dilute their competitive edge.
Australian locals have wanted a rival to the Ford Everest or the Toyota Prado for years. To pair with the Tasman? Absolutely. It makes sense.
Kia knows ladder-frame. They made the Mohave. From 2009 to 2024 it rumbled with V6 and V8s. But there was a catch. It was only made in left-hand drive. Australians were locked out.
It is a missed opportunity. The last Mohave had a 3.0-letre turbo-diesel. Eight-speed auto. Proper 4WD. It would have lined up nicely with the Everest.
They also tried hard to get the unibody Telluride here. Failed that too. Left-hand drive only, like the Hyundai Palisade. The 2027 version is out in the States. It looks like a Range Rover. It has a hybrid powertrain. There is even an X-Pro trim. It gets a 231mm ground clearance lift. Electronic limited-slip diff. Recovery points.
Who doesn’t love a rugged X-Pro?
Body-on-frame SUVs are still kings of the charts here. Look at the numbers.
- Ford Everest: 7,081
- Toyota LandCruiser Prado: 6,385
- Hyundai Santa Fe: 1,986
- Kia Sorento: 1,814
Kia sits below the Santa Fe in volume for larger SUVs. Hyundai has the Palisade above the Santa Fe. Kia has… nothing bigger than the Sorento.
Cho didn’t sugarcoat the Tasman’s performance either. He called sales “disappointing” in Australia and elsewhere. They are not satisfied. Countermeasures are already being cooked.
Powertrain choices might expand. Design tweaks. New tech. They will fix what is broken.
Should they have built that SUV?
The ladder-frame niche is safe for Toyota and Ford. Kia prefers to play a different game. One focused on refinement. Or maybe just survival in a crowded market.
The door isn’t locked permanently. Cho used the phrase “at this time.” That is corporate code for “maybe later.” But for now the blueprint stays folded.
