Forget Telluride: Tasman SUV firms as Kia’s seven-seater for Australia

Kia is planning a Tasman SUV mannequin to purpose Toyota Prado and Ford Everest investors in Australia, with negotiations going on all the draw by the Kia industry to invent definite sufficient world demand to inexperienced-light the 4wd wagon.

Early development work is identified to relish already been completed on the Tasman SUV. The resolution to identify such automobile modified into once made in expose to maximise the commercial success of the logo-recent ladder physique designed exclusively for the Tasman ute at extensive expense.

For Kia Australia, the Tasman SUV will be a fabricated from necessity. A years-prolonged effort to lobby impress headquarters in Seoul to import the US-built Telluride three-row SUV to Australia has failed, with local Kia chiefs now writing off the chance the Telluride will ever attain to Australia.

Australia has voted “yes” to the Tasman SUV, and a diplomatic effort is now underway to acquire the back of Kia distributors in South Africa, the Middle East and South The United States to conform to promote a sufficient volume of the Isuzu MU-X rival to justify ending development of the wagon.

“The industry case would [then] solidify, and I deem [Tasman SUV] would possibly perhaps presumably perhaps presumably be the subsequent thing you’d glimpse coming our manner,” Kia approved manager of product planning Roland Rivero told Chasing Cars.

Tasman SUV seen as extensive opportunity in Australia

Whereas the Telluride is a unibody, automobile-essentially essentially essentially based SUV and would possibly perhaps presumably perhaps additionally be described as a cousin of the Hyundai Palisade (which is provided in Australia), the Tasman SUV would possibly perhaps presumably perhaps presumably be a with out a doubt rugged four-wheel drive with the an analogous physique-on-physique gather as a Tasman. It can presumably perhaps presumably be a Prado rival right here.

“[Tasman SUV] would relish an enormous goal to play,” acknowledged Rivero.

“The extensive SUV class would possibly perhaps presumably perhaps be divided into monocoque versus ladder physique, and there’s a chunk of overlap in between, nonetheless to a extensive extent potentialities buying ladder physique SUVs relish a definitive need. They need in explain to tow, traipse off-highway, a chunk extra than the college high-tail.”

Kia planners are no longer interested by cannibalisation of sales of the smaller Sorento seven-seat SUV in Australia which would possibly perhaps presumably perhaps presumably be anticipated to continue available in the market even supposing the Tasman SUV eventuates, specifically as a result of Sorento will increasingly be provided with hybrid powertrains.

Additional, the recent Kia Tasman ute, which launches in Australia this week, is attracting potentialities intending to use that automobile for both work and play whereas a Tasman SUV would essentially be a family wagon capable of off-roading.

“We would glimpse it as largely incremental industry [on top of Sorento and Tasman],” acknowledged Rivero.

Kia rejected Australia’s demand for Telluride SUV

Meanwhile, Kia is inserting the ending touches on the 2d-expertise Telluride, that can traipse into production in Georgia, USA later this yr. The inaugural Telluride, which measured 5000mm prolonged, met with wild reputation in the US market.

“If I modified into once going to identify my cash on which one would glimpse the sunshine of day for Australia, I’d be leaning towards a Tasman SUV,” acknowledged Rivero.

While Rivero and rather a few senior Kia Australia workers entreated head place of job in Seoul to either allocate some US production of the Telluride to Australia—or to assemble the Telluride in Korea, because the Hyundai Palisade is—Kia has made a last resolution to back Telluride for The United States.

“I’ll be excellent, I love the Telluride,” acknowledged Rivero. “The recent expertise, which I’ve seen in the flesh and in clay mannequin, appears fabulous. I deem it would possibly perhaps perhaps perhaps presumably perhaps presumably promote very correctly, worthy relish the Palisade is doing for Hyundai.

“But as worthy as we relish asked for it, the Georgia factory can no longer back up with North American demand and it would possibly perhaps perhaps perhaps presumably perhaps presumably invent no industry sense for them in an effort to add complexity to the production line for actual-hand drive after they’re struggling to meet demand of their relish.

“Sadly, I don’t glimpse Telluride ever making its manner to Australia,” Rivero acknowledged.

Hyundai and Kia are sister brands all the draw by the Hyundai Motor Company, and the head marque is at the 2d playing a transparent high-tail in the gigantic three-row SUV set in the neighborhood. The Palisade, that can imminently get replaced with a 2d-gen version, amassed 3062 local sales in 2024.

Quiet, the smaller Kia Sorento managed 9791 deliveries in the an analogous duration.

The chance is even greater for a Tasman SUV-style rugged four-wheel drive, alternatively. Within the first six months of 2025, Toyota has provided 15,583 Prados in Australia, trailed by the Ford Everest’s 12,294 deliveries.