Kia Tasman 2.2D AT 4WD SX (2026) Review

Introduction

Right, so here’s the short version: the Kia Tasman 2.2D AT 4WD SX is exactly what you’d want if you care about cabin comfort and a serious warranty, but you’re not married to a badge. Does it topple the Hilux? Not yet. That’s the answer your local sales rep is probably giving - quietly - to anyone eyeing the new arrival. South Africa finally gets a true double cab from Kia, and the SX sits squarely in the crosshairs of the Hilux and Ranger, at least on spec and price. The Tasman’s good, genuinely so. The Hilux, though, is immovable. Here’s where the Kia Tasman tries to make its case.

Key takeaway: The Tasman SX 4x4 is the most credible Hilux challenger in years, but Toyota’s legendary grip on resale and dealer coverage is still a hurdle too high for most buyers.

Design & Exterior

The face that splits braais

I parked the Tasman next to a Hilux Legend and watched two farmers stare, then frown - more puzzled than impressed. Kia’s upright face, those vertical headlamps and slabby sides, don’t try to copy the Ranger’s swagger or the Hilux’s squint. It’s blunt, almost forklift-honest. And that’s the point. You either get it, or you don’t.

Stance and proportions

Wheelbase matches the Ranger at 3,270 mm, but the Tasman’s body is slightly longer, a headache at the parking bay, a blessing on an off-road trail. SX ground clearance clocks in at 224 mm: less than the LX (231 mm), and some way off the X-Pro’s 252 mm. That’s the kind of spec most buyers ignore until the first time they bottom out on a rutted detour.

• SX ground clearance: 224 mm
• Wheelbase: 3,270 mm
• Styling: upright, functional, not fussy with pretty
• Load bin: drop-in liner, proper tie-downs

Cabin & Practicality

Where the Hilux gets dethroned first

This is where Kia lands its best shot. The Tasman’s cabin? Best in class - no hedging. I confidently put it even with Ranger, ahead of Hilux. Materials feel honest: chunky knurled metal on the dials, big handles you can grip with gloves, and - mercifully - physical controls for the things you use every day. That matters, because everyone else is hiding climate and audio behind a touchscreen maze and calling it progress.

Real-world space

Rear doors swing open wide - almost 90 degrees. Loading a car seat, or the world’s least cooperative Labrador, suddenly feels easy. Rear legroom? The Hilux is left embarrassed, honestly. Forget “boot space” - this is a bakkie. The tub’s the point, and on SX you get a drop-in liner, a sealed three-pin socket, and a 1,027 kg payload. That’s real workhorse territory, but with actual family comfort inside.

• Twin wireless charging pads
• Fold-out rear-seat table (Carnival trick, works here)
• Sealed 3-pin power socket in the load bay
• Braked towing: 3,500 kg
• Payload: 1,027 kg

On the Road

The 2.2 CRDi, longitudinally re-engineered

Forget what you know from the Sorento: the 2.2 CRDi with 154kW and 440Nm gets rotated for longitudinal mounting and retuned for bakkie life. On paper at least, 154kW and an 8-speed auto sound average next to the Hilux GR-S’s 165 kW/550Nm. In practice, the 8-speed box shifts quickly, doesn’t hunt on the open road, and makes the Tasman feel more responsive than the numbers say. I expected lumbering; I got brisk.

Ride, refinement and the freeway problem

This bit caught me off guard. Noise suppression is closer to a Sportage than a leaf-sprung bakkie. The Tasman cruises along the highway with a calm that the Hilux can’t touch. The flip side? At 120 km/h, the engine note turns a bit gruff - reminding you this is, fundamentally, a commercial diesel. If you’re coming from a plush diesel SUV, that’s worth considering.

Off the tar

I bounced the SX along a gravel strip, and the leaf-sprung rear settled fast. The SX gets a mechanical locking diff (the X-Pro brings an electronic one with X-Trek mode). For most weekenders, the basic diff is enough. But if you’re planning to play in the dunes, the X-Pro’s extras make sense.

Data & Comparison

The SA price wall

Let’s talk rands and sense. The Kia Tasman price in South Africa is broad: LX at R679,995, SX at R879,995, X-Pro at R999,995. That R879,995 sticker puts the SX above Hilux Raider and Ranger XLT, but below a V6 Ranger Sport. There's no obvious attempt to undercut the segment's established players. Instead, Kia appears to be positioning the Tasman as a premium alternative, banking on its long warranty, generous specification and comfort-focused cabin to justify the asking price. Whether the market rewards that approach remains to be seen.

Real-world running costs

With 10.2l/100km overall, and 9.0l/100km recorded on the open road, about 30% thirstier than Kia’s 7.8l/100km claim. That’s a factor most launch previews skip. Over five years, reckon on R230,000 in service, fuel and consumables, not counting your finance - buyers need to weigh that against the Hilux’s bulletproof resale reputation.

Segment momentum

Bakkie search interest hovers at 43 points on our index for late 2025, with double-cab demand above 63 - still the body style South Africans want. The Tasman lands squarely in that hot spot. Whether it converts interest into actual sales at R879,995? That’s the question no one can answer yet.

Editorial Focus

Can it dethrone the Hilux?

No. And honestly, it doesn’t have to.

The Hilux sells on four things: resale, fleet acceptance, parts anywhere, and trust built over decades. The Tasman beats or matches it on three: cabin quality, on-road refinement, and warranty. Kia’s 5-year/unlimited km warranty plus 6-year/90,000 km service plan is a better deal - on paper at least - than Toyota’s standard offer. That matters if you’re a private buyer doing 25,000 km a year. Peace of mind is currency. But fleets don’t care about warranty - they care about resale and uptime. The Hilux still rules there. And on real-world pace, the Tasman matches the outgoing Ranger 2.0 bi-turbo and the Hilux 2.8 (non-GR-S) - quick enough, but not a class leader. As for Kia Tasman's reliability? Too soon to say. Kia’s passenger cars have had minor niggles - infotainment quirks, the odd sensor - but this is a new body-on-frame bakkie, unproven over long, hard years. 

The Tasman is the bakkie that Sorento and Carnival owners have been waiting for. But it won’t tempt Hilux fleet buyers - at least not in 2026. If it’s still flawless in three years, then it’s a new conversation.

Verdict

Kia’s Tasman 2.2D AT 4WD SX nails the basics: best cabin in the business, clever 8-speed auto, a warranty Toyota can’t touch, and refinement that’s more Sportage than “workhorse.” It’s what the segment should have had years ago - a genuinely modern interior in a tough, practical package.