Kia Tasman Weekender looks to throw a serious punch in the off-road segment

Kia Tasman Weekender looks to throw a serious punch in the off-road segment 

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Sure, we’ve always had tough bakkies that could handle gravel roads and farm life, but until 2018, nobody was offering factory-built, wide-body and long-travel suspension straight off the showroom floor until the Ford Ranger Raptor came along and changed the game, locally at least. ‍

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Fast forward to today, and almost every manufacturer wants to go that route, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting a piece of that action, as there seems to be a massive appetite for bakkies that not only look pretty but can back it up when the going gets tough.

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Take Kia, for example. It’s gearing up to launch its first-ever bakkie in Mzansi called the Tasman, and from what we’ve seen so far, it looks like the brand is serious about making a strong entrance into a market where bakkies rule the roost and have for many years. 

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While the Tasman promises to shake up the segment, Kia seems to be working on a hardcore model that will be revealed in the coming months. It's called the Tasman Weekender (or WKNDR, as seen in the decals on the concept car), and it appears that the Korean marque is aiming to throw a serious punch in the off-road segment. Not quite a full-on Ford Ranger Raptor rival, but lining up to take on the likes of the Ranger Wildtrak X, Toyota Hilux GR-S, Isuzu D-Max AT35, and the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior. 

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As for what it’s packing, the concept car showcased at the Seoul Motor Show earlier this week came seriously kitted out with chunky all-terrain off-road tyres, beefed-up front and rear bumpers with recovery points, huge side steps, a roof rack and rear sailplane, dual winches, and even a sizeable storage box. 

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Funny enough, Kia had the standard Tasman on full display at a local event a few months ago, and we'd already seen one riding piggyback on a truck on the highway. We find the design to be a matter of personal taste, but with the additional bits and pieces added to the Weekender, it all comes together so much better. It looks cleaner, tougher, and way more purposeful.

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Kia hasn’t shared details regarding the powertrain just yet, but locally, the Tasman can be specified with either a 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine or a 2.2-litre turbodiesel unit with an option of an 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. If the Weekender sticks with these options, it’s probably a stretch to think it could properly challenge the Ranger Raptor, especially when you consider the Raptor’s V6 and its high-speed off-road prowess. The good thing, though, is that Kia hasn’t ruled out the idea of building a proper Raptor rival just yet. Maybe just maybe, this could be the beginning of something bigger and more interesting.

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For now, the Kia Tasman Weekender remains a concept, but if everything goes according to plan, we should see it revealed in full production glory in the coming months. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the Kia stand at the Shanghai Auto Show to see if we can spot any more details. Based on first impressions, though, this one feels like it’s going to be worth the wait. 

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