Kia has sharply reduced prices for the Tasman pickup in Australia after the model failed to meet the company’s original sales expectations. The biggest cut applies to the flagship X-Pro 4WD, which is now AU$13,000 cheaper than before, while Ford has also lowered pricing for the Ranger PHEV as competition in the mid-size pickup market intensifies.
The Kia Tasman was introduced as a major new player in Australia’s highly competitive mid-size pickup segment, but its early sales performance has fallen well short of expectations. Kia had originally targeted around 20,000 annual sales in Australia, equal to roughly 1,600 units per month.
Instead, the Tasman has reached approximately 1,600 sales across the first four months of the year. That means Kia has effectively achieved only one month of its original sales target over a four-month period.
In response, Kia has applied significant price reductions across key 4×4 versions of the Tasman lineup. The flagship Tasman X-Pro 4WD now starts at AU$64,990, down from AU$77,990, representing a AU$13,000 reduction.
| Model | New Price | Price Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Kia Tasman SX 4×4 | AU$51,990 | AU$6,500 |
| Kia Tasman SX+ 4×4 | AU$54,990 | AU$11,500 |
| Kia Tasman X-Line 4×4 | AU$59,990 | AU$11,000 |
| Kia Tasman X-Pro 4WD | AU$64,990 | AU$13,000 |
The Tasman’s slow start appears to be linked to a combination of high launch pricing, strong competition and polarising design. Kia Australia boss Damien Meredith acknowledged that the pickup’s exterior styling has divided opinion and admitted that the model has not yet delivered the results the brand expected.
Meredith also pointed to the intensity of the Australian pickup market, where established rivals such as the Ford Ranger continue to dominate. According to the source report, the Ranger has sold around ten times as many units as the Tasman over the same period.
Kia is not the only manufacturer cutting prices in Australia’s pickup market. Ford has also reduced pricing for the Ranger PHEV, which was launched to compete with electrified rivals such as the BYD Shark 6.
The plug-in hybrid Ranger was originally priced from AU$71,990 before on-road costs. It is now listed from AU$59,000 including on-road costs, creating an effective saving of around AU$15,000.
The price change brings the Ford Ranger PHEV much closer to the BYD Shark 6 Premium, which starts from AU$57,900, or around AU$61,605 once on-road costs and fees are included.
On performance, the Ranger PHEV produces 278 hp and 514 lb-ft of torque, while the BYD Shark 6 offers 430 hp and 479 lb-ft. However, Ford retains an advantage in towing capacity, with the Ranger PHEV rated to tow up to 3,500 kg, compared with 2,500 kg for the regular Shark 6.
The latest price cuts show how quickly Australia’s mid-size pickup segment is changing. Kia is trying to improve the Tasman’s early momentum, while Ford is adjusting the Ranger PHEV’s positioning against cheaper electrified competitors from China.
Whether the lower prices will be enough to shift buyer sentiment remains to be seen, but the cuts make both the Kia Tasman and Ford Ranger PHEV more competitive than they were at launch.
