Farming smarter with technology
The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.
The marque’s first ute, the Kia Tasman, is scheduled to go on sale around the country in the coming months.
“Reaction to the Kia Tasman has been nothing short of phenomenal, it’s a statement making machine which combines rugged aesthetics with an impressive powertrain and functionality that can be counted on to get the job done,” said managing director of Kia New Zealand, Todd McDonald.
“Tasman will launch with the double- cab well-side variant, a style which is proving to be popular amongst Kiwi buyers, whether it’s loaded up for work on the farm or the family as a weekend getaway.”
Early details speak to a custom tuned 2.2-litre diesel engine, producing 154kW of power and 440Nm of torque. In turn, this is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Overseas testing of the new has been extensive and rigorous, to deliver standard features such as an 800mm wading depth, a locking differential and low-range gearing, across all models in the line-up, whilst the flagship X-Pro delivers ground clearance of up to 252mm.
“Driver-interaction features of the cabin such as buttons, switchgear and componentry have also been subject to rigorous testing, alongside its allround interior practicality, especially from a packaging perspective.
“Tasman offers best-in-segment second-row roominess when measures such as second-row headroom and second-row shoulder room are considered, which is further enhanced in the case of X-Line and X-Pro as they feature a sliding and reclining second-row seats,” said McDonald.
Enhancements to the ownership package include the 5-year Kia Connect service, complemented with fully fledged over-the-air updates, all of which contribute to improved safety and implementation of future advancements in features and easy-to-operate user interface.
Additional new model information and specification details relating to the Kia Tasman will be released in coming weeks. Pricing ranges from $52,690 for the TX 4WD to $79,690 for the X-Pro 4WD-all with ORC, with five variants in total.
