Kia's Tasman Pickup Truck Surpasses 4,000 Sales in Launch Month

Seoul, March 9 (NationPress) Kia, the second-largest automaker in South Korea, announced on Sunday that it has successfully sold over 4,000 units of its inaugural pickup truck, the Kia Tasman, in less than a month post-launch, igniting hopes for a resurgence in the local pickup truck market.

In February, Kia achieved the impressive milestone of selling more than 4,000 Tasman trucks in just 17 days after its introduction on February 13, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

This achievement represents nearly 30 percent of all pickup trucks sold in the country throughout the entire year of 2024.

So far in 2024, five major automotive manufacturers, including Hyundai Motor Co., Kia, GM Korea Co., Renault Korea Motors Co., and KG Mobility Corp. (KGM), have collectively sold 13,475 pickup trucks in South Korea, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA).

The annual sales figures have experienced a steady decline, dropping from 42,619 units in 2019 to 38,117 in 2020, 29,567 in 2021, 28,753 in 2022, and 17,455 in the subsequent year.

Industry analysts opine that the decreasing demand for pickup trucks domestically is due to the limited variety of models offered by the five automakers. However, the launch of the Kia Tasman could potentially enhance consumer interest.

Prior to the Kia Tasman’s release, only four pickup truck models were available in South Korea, comprising two from KGM and two from GM Korea.

The Kia Tasman was first unveiled at the 2024 Jeddah International Motor Show in Saudi Arabia.

This all-wheel-drive pickup truck is equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that generates 281 horsepower and features an eight-speed automatic transmission, according to the company.

In addition, Kia reported a 4.5 percent rise in its monthly sales for February compared to the previous year, driven by increased demand both domestically and internationally.

Kia, a subsidiary of the leading local company Hyundai Motor Co., sold 253,850 vehicles last month, a rise from 242,917 units in the same month last year.

Domestic sales grew by 4.5 percent year-on-year to 46,003 units, while overseas sales saw a 4.4 percent increase to 207,462 units.

Among the various models, the Sportage SUV emerged as the top seller in both the domestic and international markets, with 46,287 units sold. It was closely followed by the Sorento and Seltos, which sold 24,173 and 24,040 units, respectively.

A Kia representative mentioned that the company intends to sustain its sales growth by introducing competitive new models, including the EV4 electric vehicle and the Tasman pickup truck.