Peugeot 3008 GT Premium Hybrid 2025 review

Latest 3008 delivers French design flair in spades but there isn’t a bucketload of performance – or efficiency – for this pricey flagship hybrid SUV

Medium SUV and hybrid vehicle sales are both going gangbusters in Australia, which makes ideal timing for Peugeot’s third-generation 3008.

Putting aside that a van is Peugeot’s most popular model in Australia – a showroom quirk shared with fellow French brand Renault – the 3008 is its most crucial car as it strives to win over local buyers. 

After offering a mix of powertrains since the MPV-like original debuted in 2010, the 3008 is, for now, hybrid only.

It’s not a plug-in as offered with the previous model; this one is a mild-hybrid system.

A fully electric E-3008 was previously planned for Australia but is now less certain as European brands assess their chances against a plethora of Chinese competitors, not to mention a certain Tesla.

The 3008 is another sharp-looking Peugeot, it sits on a brand new platform, and has stepped up in size to now be a proper midsized SUV. But can the package convince buyers to look away from highly popular petrol-electric midsize SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, and Kia Sportage?

We find out in the top-of-the-range GT Premium.

What are the Peugeot 3008’s features and options for the price?

Peugeot Australia continues a pricing strategy that pitches the 3008 much higher than your average midsized SUV – from $52,990 before on-road costs for the entry Allure, or from $64,990 RRP for our test car, the GT Premium.

A mid-range GT is due later this year, though Peugeot Australia seems to be getting cold feet about bringing in the fully electric E-3008 previously confirmed for this market.

Special driveaway deals of $55,990 and $65,990, respectively, are running until 30th September 2025. Beyond that, buyers are facing more than $70K driveaway for the GT Premium being reviewed here.

That’s a big price tag for a vehicle that is not much longer than 4.5 metres (4542mm), making it one of the smallest models in the medium-SUV segment.

While the Allure’s spec looks unremarkable, the GT Premium fulfills its ‘flagship’ brief with a comprehensive list of standard equipment.

3008 Allure – Key Standard Features:

• 21-inch i-Cockpit curved display
• 19-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights and tail-lights
• Drive modes
• Advanced Grip Control
• Front and rear sensors
• Paddleshift levers

3008 GT Premium – Key Standard Features (in addition to Allure):

• Pixel LED headlights
• ‘3D’ LED tail-lights
• Rear spoiler
• Black contrast roof
• Electric tailgate
• Acoustic front windows (in addition to acoustic windscreen fitted to Allure)
• Nappa perforated leather upholstery
• “High grade leather” steering wheel
• “Aluminium printed” trim inserts
• Electric front seats with heating, cooling and massage functions
• Heated rear outboard seats
• Focal 10-speaker audio system
• Panoramic split sunroof
• Rear armrest
• Touch LED cabin lighting
• Extended cabin ambience lighting
• Semi-autonomous driving mode

For families wanting more than the five standard seats in the 3008, the closely related 5008 – also freshly launched – offers an extra pair of pews in a third row in a longer body. The cost of upsizing? Only $3000 whether opting for the same Allure or GT Premium grades.

There are multiple direct (high-grade) competitors with lower prices:

• Honda CR-V e:HEV RS – $60,400 RRP
• Hyundai Tucson Premium Hybrid AWD – $59,600 RRP
• Kia Sportage GT-Line $55,420 RRP
• Mazda CX-5 Akera Turbo – $55,000
• Volkswagen Tiguan 150TSI Elegance – $60,690 RRP

Or for similar money there’s alternative options such as the following:

• Hyundai Santa Fe Elite Hybrid (7-seater) – $65,000 RRP
• Kia EV5 Earth AWD (EV) – $64,770 RRP
• Mazda CX-60 G40e GT AWD (6cyl) – $65,235

What is the 3008’s interior and tech like?

Peugeot positions itself at the higher end of the mainstream spectrum, and to its credit the 3008’s cabin looks genuinely upmarket.

Feels it, too, with plenty of touchy-feely squidgy plastics, and classy contemporary touches such as the LED lighting projected onto the ‘printed aluminium’ dash and door inserts and the light-grey fabric covering various areas including the centre console.

The cabin’s piece de resistance, though, is the curved, 21-inch display housing seamlessly joined infotainment and driver-cluster screens.

It’s the primary part of Peugeot’s latest-generation i-Cockpit set-up that is now more of an ergonomic dream than nightmare as with previous iterations.

A weirdly small steering wheel is retained, yet crucially it no longer blocks the digital driver display for most drivers thanks to the higher-placed driver-info screen (which also means a head-up display isn’t needed). 

Drivers can also choose their preferred cluster layout using buttons on the end of the main steering wheel stalks.

The central touchscreen looks suitably modern and has decent response speed, though some of the icons – notably the seat heaters – are quite fiddly.

Peugeot’s i-Cockpit adds another great ergonomic touch with its  i-Toggles – a row of digital shortcut buttons for the infotainment system. They’re generously sized for the myopically challenged, too!

Below that, on the L-shaped centre console, is another row of buttons, this time physical, for windscreen/rear screen heating, recirc, and to turn the climate system off entirely.

Further around the gloss-black curve, they’re joined by a drive mode toggle and volume scroller.

Storage options include large door pockets, a console cubby, and on the left side of the asymmetrical centre console is another cubby with sideways-opening lid. The top of the lid suggests it’s a place for the passenger’s phone but it will slide around when driving.

There’s a single charging tray beneath the middle of the dash.

Peugeot doesn’t quite maintain the upmarket feel in the rear cabin, with cheaper plastics applied to the rear doors.

There’s good legroom for adults back there, though, and six-footers can be accommodated beneath the roofline even with the panoramic sunroof.

Adults will be keen to avoid the centre-middle seat, which is compromised for leg room by the rear of the centre console. On colder days, the GT Premium’s outer rear seats will also be popular for their heating function.

The rear-cabin set-up incorporates vents, seatback storage, and both 12V and USB-C sockets.

There’s also a centre armrest, though the cupholders offer surprisingly poor grip for regular-size coffee cups.

Does the Peugeot 3008 have a practical boot?

The GT Premium comes with an auto tailgate where the Allure misses out despite its mid to high $50K price tag.

A quoted 520-litre capacity is a good size for the medium-SUV class, while a dual-level floor allows for some flexibility – a deeper boot or a flat cargo area when the rear seatbacks are folded down.

The seatbacks are set up in a helpful 40-20-40 configuration, though don’t fully flatten (and missing the convenience of release levers. 

Stowage support is limited to moulded bag hooks and a side strap. Another 12V socket is offered in the boot.

There’s no spare wheel, with owners forced to attempt a patch job with a repair kit … or make a phone call to roadside assistance.

How does the Peugeot 3008 Turbo drive?

Maybe it’s the psychological effect of the tiny steering wheel, but the 3008 feels more like a compact SUV than a midsize SUV (and, as we said earlier, the Peugeot is on the lower end of the size scale for its class).

Vision is mostly good, including an excellent view out the rear window that pleasingly contradicts the steeply raked rear styling.

The front seats provide Goldilocks comfort with cushioning that’s neither too soft nor too firm. Underthigh support is further aided by cushion extenders.

Depending on the size of your frame, though, you’ll find the driver cockpit cosy or cramped. The driver’s right hand can get a bit jammed between the side of the seat and door when using the seat-adjust switches.

The 3008’s suspension is firm and never really softens even on the freeway at higher speeds. It’s at its best around town, where the damping does an excellent job of soaking up big bumps and potholes.

The steering is a bit vague and uneven, making the 3008 less satisfying to manoeuvre than the likes of the Cupra Formentor, Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan.

There’s a good turning circle, though, while there’s also a hugely refreshing absence of annoyingly intrusive driver assistance systems.

If you want the additional traction assistance of all-wheel drive, however, the 3008 is offered as a front-driver only. And this is particularly noticeable in damp/wet conditions. The Giti tyres fitted to our test car didn’t help, while they also generate a fair amount of road noise.

‘Compact’ is the word for the Peugeot hybrid system’s multiple components.

A teeny 1.2-litre turbo three-cylinder engine is linked to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission that integrates a small, 15.6kW electric motor – which is powered by a tiny, 0.876kWh 48-volt lithium-ion battery.

The 3008’s 48-volt mild-hybrid set-up is more electric-biased than most such systems, though we couldn’t match Peugeot’s claim that the French medium SUV can be driven around town on electric power alone for about 50 per cent of the time. 

It’s incredibly difficult to drive the 3008 normally at low speeds without prompting the petrol engine into life. 

The digital driver cluster features an Eco/Charge/Power display – and an Energy Flow diagram is available – but there’s no EV mode, as in rivals such as the Toyota RAV4, to temporarily force the vehicle into focusing on electric power.

Driveability isn’t perfect, either, as – despite the electric motor – there’s often a delay to acceleration when setting off from either stationary or near stationary. The 3008 feels sprightlier around town on a light throttle once underway, but at higher speeds the powertrain is gutless when you want harder acceleration – such as for overtaking.

It’s not a huge surprise when noting the 3008 has a 0-100km/h quote of 10.2 seconds, and serves up only 107kW to shift a kerb weight of more than 1.5 tonnes. (Peugeot doesn’t provide a combined torque figure, insteading listing separate numbers for the turbo petrol and electric motor – 230Nm and 51Nm, respectively.)

The deceleration effect of the 3008’s regenerative braking system is very noticeable when you lift off throttle, though that slowing isn’t as linear as it feels in most pure electric cars.

Is the 2025 Peugeot 3008 a safe car?

Australia’s local crash-testing body, ANCAP, awarded four out of five stars to the 3008.

The Peugeot fell short of the maximum overall rating owing to a 65 per cent score for the individual Safety Assist category relating to driver aids (where it needed a minimum of 70 per cent).

However, it achieved five stars for what most people would consider more crucial areas: adult occupant protection (82%), child occupant protection (87%), and vulnerable road user protection (79%).

The 3008 lost points in Safety Assist for missing rear seatbelt reminders and some driver-monitoring and AEB functionality.

What are the 3008’s ownership costs?

Fuel-savings will not be as good as you might hope, at least based on our one-week experience with the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid.

Official fuel consumption is rated at 4.9 litres per 100km, though we could achieve only an average of 6.2L/100km from our main test drive that contained a wide variety of motoring scenarios, including freeway driving.

With further urban testing, where the hybrid Peugeot would have been expected to fare better, average consumption climbed to 8.1L/100km.

Chasing Cars has regularly achieved sub-5.0L average consumption in the rival RAV4 Hybrid.

Owners also need to pay for pricier premium unleaded, with 95RON the recommended fuel.

Annual maintenance costs a total of $2779 over five years, with 25,000km/12-month intervals – or owners can save money by opting for pre-paid servicing.

There are three-, four- and five-year options, with the latter costing $1890 – a decent saving.

Peugeot’s factory warranty is five years, unlimited kilometres – the industry average. 

The honest verdict on the 2025 Peugeot 3008 GT Premium

The third-generation 3008 is another Peugeot that looks stylish on the outside and upmarket on the inside, though two big issues make it very much a heart over head choice.

The mild-hybrid powertrain isn’t convincing with either its efficiency or performance, and the 3008’s high pricing makes its value questionable.

If you’re after a more flamboyant, European alternative to highly popular Japanese and Korean midsize SUVs, look to Spain rather than France. 

The Cupra Formentor is handsome, spacious and great to drive. And for similar money to a 3008 GT Premium, you can have the VZe plug-in hybrid version.

MG IM5 Performance 2025 review

2 months ago

Nathan Ponchard

Contributor

MG Motor’s foray into a premium-brand model line in Australia introduces a direct Tesla Model 3 Performance rival in this flagship IM5 Performance AWD

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Good points

• Engaging dynamics
• Brilliant turning circle
• Astonishing performance
• Impressive refinement
• Low-slung driving position
• Far superior ride to the IM6 SUV

Needs work

• Premium-lite interior feel
• Compromised rear legroom
• Limited storage in all doors
• Main control screen is too low
• Disappointing 20-speaker stereo
• Inexpensive lower cabin plastic

It was only a matter of time before the sedan-loving, EV-savvy Chinese developed a rival so intently focused on matching or exceeding the Tesla Model 3 in virtually all areas that the result is essentially a doppelganger wearing a different dress.

That car is the IM5 sedan – MG’s stab at a premium model line, positioned above its regular range. And same applies to the closely related IM6 SUV and its laser-sharp focus on the Tesla Model Y.

“Like Lexus for MG” is how we were described what an IM is – those two letters denoting ‘Intelligence in Motion’ for what is essentially a completely bespoke brand that shares almost nothing with MG.

The organic sheetmetal appears distinctly IM – despite also being fairly derivative – with a bunch of shared styling details such as the faux-glass rear end, tailgate ‘ducktail’, ’90s retro LED headlights, frameless door glass, and pop-out electric door handles.

But it’s underneath where this whole IM ‘premium’ brand concept starts to bear fruit.

Featuring standard four-wheel steering, 800-volt architecture on 100kWh-battery variants, and adaptive air suspension on the flagship Performance (and its IM6 SUV relative also reviewed by Chasing Cars), the shapely IM5 sedan promises to deliver a premium driving experience to match its semi-premium positioning.

In Australia and the UK, these IM models will be ‘presented by MG Motor’, whereas in China, IM is standalone premium brand for SAIC Motor. Regardless of the country or the marketing, however, one common goal remains – to defeat Tesla.

But is the IM5 Performance AWD (tested here) dynamically capable enough to match a Tesla Model 3 Performance? And does MG Motor’s promise of a proper premium vehicle contain any element of truth or carry enough substance?

What are the IM5 Performance’s features and options for the price?

MG Motor offers three IM5 variants in Australia – each directly matched by an IM6 SUV equivalent with identical powertrains and similar suspension hardware.

The entry-level IM5 Premium starts at $60,990 drive-away, featuring 400-volt architecture, a 75kWh LFP battery, 217kW/450Nm outputs, rear-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, 0-100km/h in 6.8sec and 490km of WLTP range.

The mid-spec IM5 Premium RWD is $9000 more ($69,990 drive-away) but introduces an 800-volt platform, a 100kWh NCM battery, 300kW/500Nm powertrain outputs, 20-inch alloys, 0-100km/h in 4.9sec, an outstanding 396kW DC charging maximum (up from 153kW in the base IM5) and 655km of WLTP range.

The flagship IM5 Performance adds another $11K to the price ($80,990 drive-away) but considerably elevates its dynamic personality with dual-motor AWD, 553kW/802Nm combined powertrain outputs (according to MG), adaptive air suspension, 0-100km/h in a searing 3.2sec, a towering 268km/h top speed, and 575km of WLTP range.

Additional standard equipment on the dual-motor IM5 Performance AWD includes:

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Sequential indicators
• Thermal-insulating panoramic glass roof
• Laminated side glass
• Rear privacy glass
• Keyless entry/start
• Dual-zone climate control
• Rear-seat air vents
• Heated steering wheel
• ‘Ultra-soft’ synthetic leather upholstery
• Heated 8-way electric driver’s seat
• Electric 4-way front lumber support
• 6-way electric front passenger’s seat
• Ventilated front backrests
• Heated outboard rear seats
• Adjustable rear backrest rake
• 26.3-inch dashtop touchscreen
• 10.5-inch centre-console touchscreen
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
• 50W ventilated wireless phone charging
• 256-colour ambient lighting
• 360-degree HD camera + multiple vehicle cameras
• Electric tailgate
• 20-speaker sound system
• MG/IM iSmart remote app functions

Direct competitors to the IM5 Performance AWD include the Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD ($80,900 before on-road costs), Polestar 4 Long Range Dual-Motor ($88,350 before on-road costs), and Hyundai Ioniq 6 Epic AWD ($86,500 before on-road costs), as well as the BYD Seal Performance AWD ($61,990 before on-road costs) at the lower end and the overpriced Ford Mustang Mach-E GT ($97,990 before on-road costs) at the upper end.

The IM5 is offered in five colours – Athena White, Ares Black, Nevis Blue, Raphael Beige and Rembrandt Grey.

The standard interior is Highland Grey, with Dover Beige a $990 option.

How does the IM5 Performance drive?

Having only driven the top-spec Performance AWD version, we can only comment on the behaviour of the IM5 with adaptive air suspension combined with four-wheel steering and dual electric motors. But the news is overwhelmingly positive.

Fast-geared steering (with just 2.3 turns lock-to-lock) combined with a superb 9.98m turning circle provides a terrific foundation for agile dynamics. And with two-thirds of the powertrain’s outputs being sent to the rear axle, the IM5 Performance AWD definitely makes the most of its sophisticated hardware.

There’s decent feel and pleasantly finessed progression to its keen steering, helping elevate the grip and handling poise of this 2.3-tonne sedan to a level well beyond expectation. It’s a fast, agile and involving sports sedan that decimates twisty roads and hilly terrain while barely raising a sweat.

High-quality Pirelli P Zero rubber definitely helps, though the IM5 doesn’t rely on its tyres to make it handle – that aspect is inherent in this stealthily quiet beast of a thing.

Given its 20-inch wheels, it rides well too, with a levelness and absorbency that definitely fits the sports-sedan brief.

It’s disciplined and firm, but never uncomfortable and rarely perturbed by the surface beneath. Only some suspension noise over serious bumps tarnishes its sheen – perhaps due to its refined silence elsewhere.

All of this is in stark contrast to the flawed dynamics of its IM6 SUV sibling.

The SUV version rides abrasively, has too much vertical movement, slower steering and far less engaging handling. Where the IM5 has genuine dynamic character, the IM6 is comparatively inept, as if it never fully completed its suspension development phase.

So don’t be fooled into thinking they’re the same car with different bodies – the slinky IM5 is well-suited to keen drivers whereas the rather frumpy and bloated IM6 drives how its styling implies.

Supporting the IM5 Performance AWD’s amusing dynamics is an astonishing level of performance.

MG claims 0-100km/h in 3.2sec and it feels it – pinning you back into the seat like the car is about to take off. Yet the initial accelerative response isn’t brutal. It smooths the first moment of thrust beautifully before ramping up like a rocket.

Brake-pedal feel is also pretty good, combined with relatively subtle regenerative braking. Full one-pedal driving isn’t really possible in the IM5, yet that’s somehow rarely an issue.

What is the IM5 Performance’s interior and tech like?

The IM5’s three-tone-grey interior is equal parts intriguing and baffling.

From a distance, it’s very much styled like a ’90s concept car, thanks to its organically flowing shapes, acres of padded vinyl and embedded centre console screen. And while all that makes it appear rather distinctive, it also doesn’t really convey a truly premium perception.

Where the IM6 embeds a strip of tweedy cloth between the dash top and lower padded vinyl, and again in its door trims, the IM5 adheres solely to ‘ultra-soft’ synthetic leather, which is neatly stitched for the most part (except the wonky strip across the passenger’s front airbag) but lacking in warmth and sophistication.

The seat upholstery is quite nice – lovely thatched panels with perforation and mattress-topper-like padding – but it again lacks the warmth of good-quality leather, or premium cloth. And the grey colour tones have a milky aesthetic, like Hello Kitty chose the palette, which doesn’t look premium.

The $990 Dover Beige option is definitely better in that regard, though nothing can save the hard, cheap lower plastics that lurk throughout the cabin.

Even the patterned door-trim inlays look cheap – you’d never see chintz like this in a Polestar – while the doors themselves are near-useless for storing anything or holding drinks. At least the Lexus-like push-button releases are classy, as is the auto-unlatching function when entering the car, and the frameless door glass.

The centre-console control interface is complex and not necessarily high-end in its graphics, though you do acclimatise to how things work.

The 26.3-inch widescreen expanse decorating the dashtop also works reasonably well – especially the wireless smartphone mirroring – though the instrument layout for the driver is relatively basic in appearance and lacks configurability.

Biggest disappointment, though, is the 20-speaker stereo. It packs a tonne of different sound arrangements, yet they all sound cold and digital, and the bass production wilts under pressure.

With speaker grilles spanning the cabin, including four ‘sky’ speakers in the headlining, there’s definitely promise here, but the reality defines superficiality.

As for the seat comfort, the front buckets are terrific, despite quite basic adjustment, though only having cooling for the backrest seems weird, and rather stingy.

The rear bench is also nicely shaped, with a three-position reclinable backrest, but the IM5’s floor is so high that toe room is non-existent and legroom is compromised – undermining the good work of the rear seat itself.

There’s also only a pair of basic rear air outlets (but no temperature control), surrounded by cheap plastic with fake stitching, and just a single USB-C port to argue over.

With its liftback-sedan bodystyle, the IM5 provides impressive (electric) access to a generously carpeted and neatly shaped boot, offering a workable 457 litres of space.

But the tabs for the rear backrest fold are buried deep on the backrests themselves, and there’s no spare wheel or underfloor storage – just a meagre 18-litre frunk for the tyre repair kit and perhaps a few odds and ends.

Is the IM5 Performance a safe car?

The MG IM5 is yet to be independently crash-tested by any global NCAP organisation for its safety performance or rated for its electronic active-safety features, though MG will be expecting a five-star rating.

Standard safety equipment on the 2025 MG IM5 Performance includes:

• Seven airbags
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane-keep assistance
• Lane-departure warning
• Lane centring control
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Front AEB with forward collision warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Rear crosss-traffic AEB
• Driver attention monitoring
• Speed sign recognition
• Speed-limit assistance
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Blind-spot cameras
• Pedestrian warning system
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 360-degree camera
• Auto-park assist
• Tyre-pressure monitoring
• Rain-sensing wipers

While the speed-limit warning and driver attention monitoring can be incessant (and frustratingly annoying, with incomprehensible beeping), the IM5’s peripheral active-safety systems are easily disengaged via an ADAS button in the centre-console screen.

Further disengagement of the speed-limit warning removes that annoyance too – leaving a clear visual guide to the posted speed limit (in theory) in the driver’s instrument screen.

What are the IM5 Performance’s ownership costs?

The official WLTP range claim for the dual-motor IM5 Performance sedan is 575km compared to just 505km WLTP for the closely related IM6 Performance SUV.

The WLTP range of the IM5 Performance’s main rivals spans 528km for the Tesla Model 3 Performance, 520km for the BYD Seal Performance, 519km for the Hyundai Ioniq 6 Epic AWD, 490km for the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT and 590km for the Polestar 4 Long Range Dual-Motor.

On test, our IM5 Performance averaged 20.6kWh/100km, which calculates to a real-world range of 485km – making it more efficient than its heavier IM6 SUV sibling.

Using a DC ultra-fast charger, MG Motor Australia says the IM5 Performance’s 30 to 80 percent charging time is 15 minutes, with a maximum DC charging rate of 396kW. In the UK, MG Motor claims a 10 to 80 percent charging time of just 17 minutes for an identical car, placing it marginally ahead of the also-excellent Hyundai Ioniq 6 at just 18 minutes.

That compares to a 10-80 percent charging time of 27 minutes for the Tesla Model 3 Performance, 30 minutes for the Polestar 4 and 37 minutes for the BYD Seal Performance.

Recommended service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, with the IM5’s five-year/100,000km servicing cost being $2764.

MG’s new-vehicle warranty in Australia is now seven years/unlimited kilometres for private buyers, including roadside assistance, as well as an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty. However, the warranty for IM vehicles is five years/unlimited kilometres for private buyers.

If you exclusively service your IM5 at an MG/IM dealership according to the recommended schedule, the warranty extends to seven years/unlimited kilometres. There’s also a seven-year anti-perforation/paint warranty, eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, and five-year air suspension/four-wheel steering warranty.

The honest verdict on the MG IM5 Performance AWD

If you don’t mind its almost retro-‘90s look, the IM5 Performance is a good car. It’s fast as all get-out, handles exceedingly well, and steers like it wants to be driven hard. It also has a great driving position, so in all those respects, it absolutely achieves what it sets out to do – be an engaging and appealing electric sports sedan.

But is it a true premium car – what Lexus is to Toyota for MG Motor? Not really.

There are Toyotas (such as the new-generation Camry) that feel higher-quality inside, for tens of thousands less, and its interior doesn’t feel as contemporary as a Model 3’s either. Somehow, when it comes to cabin design and luxury features, the IM5 already feels dated.

Yet there’s a genuine premium flavour to what hides underneath the curvy IM5.

Its 800-volt architecture, four-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension are all proper premium stuff, and the fact it knows how to put all that to good use confirms that this isn’t just a box-ticking ‘luxury’ car that only looks great in the brochure or in the showroom.

What it needs is a greater focus on functionality and high-quality finishes, and a minimised fascination with digitising everything to impress the IT crowd. If the latter sounds like you, you may well love the IM5 … but only after a comprehensive refit from a car-audio specialist.

Kia Tasman double cab 2025 review

2 months ago

Tom Baker

Founder

Protracted and costly development targeted at Australian driving tastes sees the Kia Tasman debut near the top of the class, but it isn’t a perfect ute

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Good points

• Best interior of any ute
• Poised on-road handling
• Compliant ride (for a ute)
• X-Pro’s off-road chops
• Reasonable fuel economy
• Seven-year warranty

Needs work

• 2.2L diesel nothing special
• Expensive at the top end
• No premium engine option
• Lacks true halo variant
• Limited payload when towing 3500kg
• You’ll love or hate the look

After lengthy deliberations, Kia hit the ‘go’ button on a project to develop and sell a midsize pick-up in 2019. The result of that plan, internally codenamed ‘TK’, is the much-teased Tasman that is now rolling into the South Korean brand’s Australian dealerships.

For years, Kia toyed with the idea of adapting its existing Korean-market ladder-frame platform for a ute mainly designed to tackle the roaring Australian ute market. Locked out of the United States by decades-old pick-up tariffs and with European emissions regulations making utes uncommercial there, ‘TK’ would have to rely on Australian sales.

Internally, the view was that Tasman shouldn’t be done by halves and a plan to save cash by adjusting the existing Kia Mohave 4WD architecture was abandoned in favour of developing a clean-sheet ute design. Immediately pre-COVID, and then as that pandemic took hold globally, the PX Mk III Ford Ranger was benchmarked as the best-in-segment.

Meanwhile, Ford (with co-investment from Volkswagen) was feverishly developing a major Ranger upgrade, expanding its chassis and preparing to install hallmark V6 engines. In the shadows, Chinese rivals Australians had not yet even thought of (such as BYD) were considering their own tilt at the ute market with novel plug-in hybrid powertrains.

As coronavirus raged, Kia engineers plugged away in Korea on a ute that was durable but not well-attuned to Australian roads. As international travel resumed and ‘TK’ prototypes landed for local tuning, considerable suspension re-engineering was determined necessary, knocking back the ute’s launch. Still, Kia knew it had one shot to get the vehicle right.

Around the time ‘TK’ needed a name — Kia Tanami was the first choice of local planners, Kia Tasman was the second and successful nomination, accepted by Korea — the Albanese Labor government resolved to proceed with the New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES) suite of laws that will penalise, among other things, the sale of high-CO2 diesel utes.

The winter of 2025 — the launch window selected by Kia for the TK Tasman — has been unseasonably cold in southeastern Australia.

It’s been windy, too, with triple headwinds battering Kia: the NVES headache that has made now the worst time in Australian history to launch a diesel ute, China seizing the initiative with low-CO2 hybrid pick-ups that comply with NVES, and the segment-topping and six-cylinder Ranger contest that just won’t go away.

Beneath polarising styling, Tasman arrives packing only a four-cylinder, non-hybrid diesel engine. No V6 is likely. A strong hybrid sits somewhere over the horizon — years away. Tasman’s enormously expensive clean-sheet gestation also means it carries aspirationally high pricing for a vehicle with no established reputation in this country.

Kia says the Tasman is perfectly suited to Australian conditions. It is affirmed by the fact 80 percent of ute buyers still choose four-cylinder diesels. The Korean manufacturer has an expanding suite of EVs it thinks will offset Tasman’s CO2 profile, allowing it to sell in big numbers.

Under the surface, Kia is tough and prepared to fight. In South Korea, Kia builds the military’s tanks and transport vehicles that are ready for war. In Australia, the Tasman’s enemies have more familiar names: Ranger. Toyota HiLux. Even the BYD Shark 6. The goal? One of 20,000 sales in the first year — a result that would be competitive with the Isuzu D-Max.

Our first comprehensive Tasman experience was carried out on (and off) the very roads it was tuned on in Australia — in and around Bathurst, Rydal, Sofala and Oberon in New South Wales.

What are the Tasman’s features and options for the price?

The Tasman is noticeably larger than the average midsize pick-up. In double-cab form, across a five-strong lineup, each grade measures 5410mm in length and 1930mm wide on a 3270mm wheelbase.

Height differences are the giveaway to the different look of various Tasman grades, with fleet-focussed S/SX/SX+ measuring 1870mm high (with 206mm ground clearance), X-Line 1890mm high (224mm clearance), while X-Pro sits much higher at 1920mm (252mm clearance).

Given Kia’s intention to grab 10 percent of the Australian ute market in short order, it’s no surprise the Tasman lineup is extensive. The double cab version launches with five grades intended to cater to customers ranging from heavy-duty fleet to the luxury/off-roading lifestyle market.

At launch, pricing for the Tasman double-cab lineup comprises manufacturer’s recommended list pricing (MRLP) and also national driveaway offers as below:

• S 4×2: $42,990 / $46,490 driveaway
• S 4×4: $49,990 / $53,890 driveaway
• SX 4×4: $54,490 / $58,490 driveaway
• SX+ 4×4: $62,390 / $66,490 driveaway
• X-Line 4×4: $67,990 / $70,990 driveaway
• X-Pro 4×4: $74,990 / $77,990 driveaway

At the top end of the Tasman lineup, the launch pricing is relatively similar to the top-selling Ford Ranger, though lower trims of the Tasman are a little cheaper than an equivalent Ranger (or Toyota HiLux).

Only the base S can be specified in 4×2 double cab form with 4×4 a hefty $7400 option on that grade. Standard on S are 17-inch steel wheels in 265/65 R17 Kumho tyres, the ‘pedestrian-friendly’ front end design with low scoop, LED MFR headlights, smart key with remote engine start, tyre pressure monitoring and Kia Connect online features.

Other base inclusions are manual cloth seats up front, tip-up second row seats with storage boxes, faux leather steering wheel and gear shifter, twin 12.3-inch displays (with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), two front USB-C ports, an AM/FM/DAB radio, and dual-zone climate control.

Opting for the tier-two ($58,490) SX costs $4600 and adds just a few niceties. Notably SX does not look like a base model (thanks to its grey 17-inch alloy wheels rather than steelies); other additions are integrated satellite navigation, a highway driving assistant, and additional colour options bringing Tan Beige and Denim Blue to the paint list.

Splashing a further $8000 buys the $66,490 SX+, which steps spec up to include machined 18-inch alloys in 265/60 R18 Kumhos, LED fog lights, a lined and lit tub, two 240-volt power outlets, LED tail-lights, cloth/artificial leather seat upholstery, back seat air vents, a wireless device charger, power folding side mirrors, zippered seatback pockets, and mud guards.

From there, it’s a literal step up into the higher-riding ‘X-series’ trims. Intended for the lifestyle market rather than fleets, these versions go without the ANCAP five-star crash rating (as they lack some pedestrian protection mandated from 2025), have more rugged exterior styling and higher ground clearance.

The $70,990 X-Line is just $4500 more than an SX+ but adds substantial spec in the form of roof rails, privacy glass, an acoustic windscreen, 360-degree camera, rear fender flare storage, artificial leather upholstery, a 10-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, upgraded tilt/slide rear seats, tub cleats, dual wireless chargers and a folding front table.

Other X-Line goodies include a dual glovebox, automated parking, puddle lamps, two second-row USB-C ports, and a centre console layout unique to the X-series models that relocates the shifter to the column to create more storage space.

Finally, the $77,990 X-Pro is the range-topping Tasman and the only one really intended for off-roading from the showroom floor. It downsizes from 18s to black 17-inch alloys wrapped in 265/70 R17 Hankook all-terrain tyres while adding a ground view monitor and an off-road data page in the infotainment system.

The X-Pro also scores additional luxuries in the form of a 10-way power passenger seat, memory for the driver, an opening sunroof, heated steering wheel, cooled front seats, heated second row seats, an eight-speaker Harman-Kardon stereo, and auto-dipping for the side mirrors when reverse is selected.

A full-size alloy spare wheel is standard across the range, as is forwards autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. Disappointingly, reversing AEB — which can detect objects behind a reversing vehicle and stop it automatically — only becomes standard on the pricey X-Line.

Each Tasman grade can be specified with circa-one tonne or circa-900kg payload, with operators and buyers expected to choose the most tax-efficient configuration for them.

One-tonne versions have a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3250kg and gross combination mass (GCM) of a relatively low 6200kg. When not towing, payload is 1013–1124kg depending on variant. Max out, the Tasman’s rated 3500kg braked towing limit (with a 350kg tow bar download) and remaining legal payload gets very low indeed.

How does the Tasman drive?

The high development cost and long lifespan of utes means it’s a treat to drive a pick-up that is genuinely brand new. With Tasman, the ladder frame is a clean-sheet design and the suspension is bespoke.

Kia Australia engineers exerted strong influence over the design of the suspension and steering in a bid to make the Tasman one of the best utes to drive on-road, while retaining a core degree of off-roading ability (particularly in the highest-riding X-Pro variant).

The suspension tune reached by Korean teams during the COVID period was judged too far towards firmness and a major adjustment to the leaf springs was conducted on the back of prototype/rival benchmarking in Australia in 2022.

Sophisticated ZF Sachs frequency-selective dampers are used front and rear, allowing for a 30-40 percent degree of passive adjustability for different road types. Unladen ride quality is a touch firm in the city, but the Tasman’s gait becomes relaxed and flowing as road speeds increase. On country roads, the ride comfort is among the best in the segment.

The suspension is, typically for a ute, a double-wishbone front and leaf-sprung rear design, with Kia Australia successfully arguing the case away from single-rate to triple-rate springs, which required expensive changes to the hard points of the Tasman during development.

Bump absorption over really rough roads is a standout, both due to decent wheel travel and appropriate spring rates, but also due to the fitment of hydraulic rebound stops which deflect away the thunking effect of topping out the suspension over crests.

Unlike Kia’s SUVs, the Tasman’s steering rack is mounted in rubber to reduce the effect of frame vibrations. This dulls road feel, which has been ‘replaced’ through a remarkably competent electric power steering tune that feels crossover-like and reasonably direct. Like a T6.2 Ranger or Amarok, the Tasman feels quite poised and involving in the corners.

We have seen some of the other components used by the Tasman before: in particular, the inline four-cylinder, single-turbo diesel ‘Smartstream’ 2.2-litre engine is familiar from the Kia Sorento and the old Hyundai Santa Fe.

Given how much Kia has invested to ensure that the Tasman sits in the top third of the ute segment for sophisticated ride and handling, it is something of a head-scratcher that the powertrain did not get more attention.

With outputs of 154kW of power and 440Nm, the in-house diesel ‘four is competent and reasonably refined, but it does not stand out from the crowd of similar offers, most of which have more peak torque — HiLux and Ranger each have 500Nm in four-cylinder format.

Kia points out that the Tasman continues to generate at least 400Nm for longer across the rev range than its rivals, and that flexibility does translate to the driving experience. The Tasman feels muscular and quiet…enough.

However, the Tasman’s driveline is well off the pace of the performance and refinement of premium engines in the segment — both with regard to the Ranger/Amarok 3.0-litre diesel V6 (184kW/600Nm), or emerging plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options like the imperfect but interesting BYD Shark 6 (321kW/650Nm).

What’s more, a premium engine is not immediately forthcoming for the Tasman. The 2.2-litre diesel is planned to do the heavy lifting until perhaps 2027 when a mild hybrid system may be added, with a stronger degree of hybridisation later still. A fully-electric Tasman is in development but is understood to have been deferred for now.

Making up for some of the four-cylinder’s performance shortcoming is the well-calibrated eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission, which was adapted from the Stinger sports sedan. It’s a busy unit, shifting regularly to keep the diesel engine in its sweet spot.

Off-road, there is a marked difference in capability between the fleet-oriented S/SX/SX+ versions, which are hobbled off the blacktop by their low-set pedestrian safety scoop that reduces approach angles from as high as 32 degrees (X-Pro) to just 20deg. Breakover angles are 23-25deg, with departure ranging from 25-26deg across the range.

The X-Pro is the Tasman to buy for out-of-the-box off-roading suitability — not just due to its Kumho all-terrain tyres and 252mm ground clearance, but also its Eaton electromechanical locking rear differential, though all Tasmans have automatic clutch-pack lock at the rear when one wheel overspeeds the other by 125rpm, providing a subtle LSD effect.

Inclusion of a Toyota Crawl Control-esque off-roading system called X-Trek in Kia parlance worked well through five steps of low speed during both descents and ascents, while the fitment (to X-Pro only) of a ground view monitor helps understand what is happening during steep climbs. Wading depth is 800mm across the range.

What is the Tasman’s interior and tech like?

If the Tasman’s dynamics are a mixed bag (ride and handling good; engine middling), there is no such split of opinion as far as the interior is concerned. Kia has knocked the cabin design of ‘TK’ out of the park in a segment generally known for rough-and-ready durability over plush luxury.

That’s not to say the Kia is glitzy and flimsy. In the face of new Chinese ute competition layering on a ‘veneer of luxury’, the Tasman splits the difference materially between a Ranger and Shark 6 with a deft and considered touch.

Visually, the Tasman cabin doesn’t look as fancy as that BYD, or a (larger) GWM Cannon Alpha; instead, the aesthetic is handsome and understated. The materials are not luxurious for the sake of it; nor agricultural. Instead, they feel a little special but still hard-wearing — not too far off, for instance, the old Volkswagen Amarok.

Impressively, all Tasmans share a basic dashboard layout incorporating bright, crisp dual 12.3-inch screens, up-to-date with wireless smartphone mirroring, USB-C connectivity and Kia Connect functionality with remote start, locking, climate, and over-the-air updating.

No Tasman has a poxy plastic steering wheel — or leather, for that matter; unnamed ‘premium’ material covers the wheel and shifter across the range. The seats, too, have cloth (S/SX) or various degrees of artificial leather for higher-tier models. Ascending the range sees manual adjustment give way to power, lumbar, memory, heating and even cooling.

Both the previous- and current-gen Amarok continue to have more comfortable seats than a Tasman, and it was a head-scratcher to hear Kia executives claim the Isuzu D-Max was benchmarked as having the best seats in the class; still, seat comfort in the Kia is reasonable enough.

On-board software works well and ergonomics are a strong point, with steering wheel, stalks and key controls falling to hand while mechanical toggles have been retained for things like temperature and fan speed.

Oddment storage is a standout, though the X-Line/X-Pro grades, which have a different centre console with twin wireless chargers and more space to stash clutter, are the pick for daily workability. The X-series models also pack a trick centre armrest that unfolds forwards to reveal a sturdy table: perfect for a laptop or lunch.

While the X-Pro grade is expensive at $78K on-road, it does feel half a segment above key rivals like the Ranger Wildtrak when it comes to little luxuries — a power sunroof, quality Harman-Kardon stereo, ventilated seats, dual chargers…it’s SUV-like in here. Even the more spartan base grades still feel way more special than a HiLux Workmate…

Two back seat designs are offered, each a bench with three seats. The S/SX/SX+ have a conventional layout, though the seat bases lift to reveal storage beneath.

X-series versions have a slide/recline feature for the rear seats, plus rear air vents (which should really be standard range-wide) plus a centre armrest.

The tub fits a standard Australian pallet (at the insistence of Kia’s local engineers). Length measures in at 1573mm in S/SX (1512mm in SX+ and beyond); width 1600/1572mm, and height 543/540mm. Ranger-esque corner steps up into the tub are standard range-wide.

Is the Tasman a safe car?

An unexpected controversy accompanied the release of the Kia Tasman’s 2025-stamped, five-star crash and safety result from ANCAP. It’s this: only the S/SX/SX+ carry the five-star rating. Due to a loophole in ANCAP’s system, the X-Line and X-Pro are ‘unrated’.

ANCAP scoring gets harder over time and, from 2025, utes need to account more for pedestrian safety in order to score five stars, which is why the fleet- and road-focussed S/SX/SX+ have an odd, low-set front scoop that makes them look dowdy and substantially compromises their off-road ability.

Meanwhile, the honkin’ X-Line and X-Pro go without this scoop and look the way a double-cab four-wheel-drive ute should from front and side on.

Disappointing to us is that some important safety features are reserved for the X-Line and X-Pro, including reversing AEB, but also a 360-degree parking camera, blind spot view cameras, superior headlight technology, and side parking sensors.

Standard range-wide are a reversing camera, front/rear parking sensors, forwards/junction AEB, blind spot monitoring sensors, lane keeping and lane following assistance, driver attention monitoring, speed limit warning, E-call with SOS, and trailer stability assist.

SX trim picks up more sophisticated highway cruise control/lane centring called Highway Drive Assist 2, while the SX+ gains an electrochromic rear mirror that is easier to see at night. The tuning of some of the Tasman’s safety suite was easily better than most utes, with notable smoothness to the cruise control and lane keeping on highway stretches.

Speed monitoring beeps and bongs can be silenced by a long press of the mute button on the steering wheel, but the driver attention monitoring returns with every ignition and is oversensitive.

What are the Tasman’s ownership costs?

An upside of the Tasman’s middling performance is that it’s reasonably fuel-efficient — certainly more so than a Ranger V6 or Amarok V6, and is competitive with four-cylinder versions of those utes. You’d hope so!

Kia claims diesel economy of 7.4L/100km (SX 4×2), 7.6L/100km (S 4×4 to SX+), 7.8L/100km (X-Line), and 8.1L/100km (X-Pro) with associated CO2 emissions of between 195-214g/km.

From 2026, the Tasman will no longer be compliant with NVES emissions laws and Kia Australia will need to offset this with greater sales of hybrid and EV models to avoid paying emissions penalties in this country.

On our extensive drive which included around 10 percent urban driving in Bathurst, 60 percent country road driving, and 30 percent freeway, we managed 8.2L/100km in the SX grade — just seven percent more than the combined claim.

From the Tasman’s 80-litre fuel tank, our realistic range would have been 975km which is reasonably flexible for this segment. A DPF is fitted to the vehicle. AdBlue is not required.

Scheduled maintenance intervals are every 12 months/15,000km for the Tasman. Capped price servicing is offered for seven years, at a five-year cost of $2928 for X-Pro, or $2897 for non-X-Pro 4×4 versions. The S 4×2 costs $2806 to service over the same period.

Warranty is seven years with unlimited kilometres, including for private, general fleet, and government vehicles.

The honest verdict on the Tasman

You can tell Kia put a great deal of time into developing the Tasman. It studied its rivals closely and determined what it would need to succeed in the segment. The execution of the Tasman is genuinely impressive for a first-time effort.

Tasman has sailed directly into the top third of the ute segment on debut.

There are only two serious factors that dampen praise: there’s the performance, which is nothing special in a class punctuated by similar four-cylinder diesels…and emerging premium ute powertrains to which Kia has no clear response.

Then there is the styling. That’s subjective — at least the Tasman stands out — but to some, it will be difficult to accept the unusual visual character. We’ll leave that up to you.

Another bugbear might be the price, which is Ranger-adjacent for the most part. But with Kia Australia committing to doing almost anything to hit its self-imposed goal of 20,000 sales per year, expect discounting if the Tasman isn’t hitting targets.