If you ever asked, ‘What if Kia made a rugged ladder-frame SUV to join its midsize pickup?’ here’s your answer – kind of
- Independent renderings show a mashup of the Kia Tasman and Jeep in concept form.
- The polarizing styling features of the pickup are easier to digest in a shorter SUV bodystyle.
- Despite the intriguing design, Kia isn’t expected to introduce a Wrangler style off-roader.
Kia recently pulled back the curtain on its Weekender concept, which takes the Tasman midsize pickup and adds a pinch of rugged off-road flair. But in the world of “what ifs,” independent artist Theophilus Chin had a different vision for the Tasman’s future—a short-wheelbase, off-road SUV variant, which he’s dubbed the Kia Tasgler for obvious reasons.
The fictional Kia Tasgler mirrors the proportions of the Jeep, complete with a removable hardtop that transforms it into a convertible. The bodywork takes cues from the Tasman, but with a cleaner, more modern design that aligns with the brand’s current styling direction.
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Let’s talk about those unpainted plastic fenders, arguably the most contentious part of the truck. On the off-roader, though, they actually seem to work. The shorter body of the Tasgler gives them a place to shine, making the vehicle look like it’s ready to take on a trail (or at least not immediately fall apart when it hits one). The bumpers and front grille match, and the horn-style hood insert adds a little bit of cowboy flair.
The boxy LED headlights and taillights are lifted straight from the Tasman, and they work surprisingly well here. Honestly, the rear end of this thing could easily pass for a facelifted Jeep Wrangler—if you squint, ignore the Kia badge, and pretend the spare wheel didn’t scream “this is a Kia.”
Illustrations: Theottle
Spoiler, It’s Not Happening
As much as we’d love to see Kia throw its hat into the off-road SUV ring alongside the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, don’t hold your breath. Developing something like the Tasgler would mean overhauling the Tasman’s ladder-frame architecture and completely reworking both the interior and exterior.
More: New Kia Pickup Coming To America And It’s Nothing Like The Tasman
Given the small pool of buyers outside of North America who are interested in rugged two-door SUVs, the investment likely wouldn’t make sense for a mainstream brand like Kia. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the Tasman is made in North Korea, and there are no plans to bring it to the USA. Instead, Kia has confirmed the development of an electric pickup truck for the American market.
In the end, these renderings are just a fun exercise in what could be—showing us that the Tasman’s design language has the potential to stretch across different types of off-road vehicles. But for now, we’ll have to settle for the fantasy.
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