On any forum, video or article talking about the car, it’s the first thing people mention. It’s been described as a Lego car, a Ram bought from Temu, a Korean Mahindra, and a half-eaten cabbage. But like every parent of an ugly baby, Kia doesn’t see the problem. MORE: First impressions of Kia’s Tasman ute “Road presence will dilute the angst surrounding how it looks,” Australian chief executive Damien Meredith said at the launch press conference. They’d better hope so. Kia has big ambitions for the Tasman, they want it to be the fourth best-selling ute in Australia, behind the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, and the Isuzu D-Max. To pull that off, they’ll need to sell around 20,000 units and outperform the BYD’s critically acclaimed plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark. MORE: Why sports stars went into bat for Kia It’s a big ask for a car that’s late to the game, entering a crowded market, and made by a brand better known for family-friendly SUVs. To succeed, Kia need to quickly build credibility as a maker of rugged, blokey vehicles. That’s why their ads are packed with sporting legends pretending to be tradies. Kia are also heavily promoting the Tasman’s origin story: that it’s a ute designed specifically for Australian roads and drivers. MORE: Full prices and specifications for the Kia Tasman But in reality, the Australian team didn’t have total free range. The original name of ‘Tanami’ was scuppered in Korea, and the controversial final design, I’m told, was a captain’s call from inside the head office. Internal politics and smashed-crab aesthetics aside, the Tasman is a reasonably competitive, somewhat unimaginative car that stands up to its rivals. There are 10 Tasman variants coming into the market, starting with a paired-down 2x4 single cab chassis. At the top of the line is the 4x4 X-Pro, which is $75,000 before on-road costs. If you’re considering any trail driving, this is Kia’s most-compelling option. MORE: Kia defends Tasman ute styling The Tasman is a big car – marginally wider, taller and longer than its Ranger and Hilux rivals, giving it considerable presence on the road. But it’s a different story under the bonnet. All variants are powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. That’s fairly modest, especially compared to the larger V6 options offered by the likes of Ford and Volkswagen. To Kia’s credit, the Tasman doesn’t feel particularly underpowered on the road. With an empty tray, it was responsive and comfortable, with enough guts to easily overtake slower cars. While the Tasman was smooth on the highway, it is worth noting the ride was noticeably harder at slower speeds. MORE: The ute war set to erupt But the X-Pro really shines when it gets off the tarmac. The top-of-the-line Tasman has a full suite of off-road technology, including ground view cameras, terrain options, low-range modes, rear diff-lock, and an “X-Trek” setting which crawls the car at a slow, constant speed in both drive and reverse. It’s the traction control which sets this car apart, though. Even an inexperienced off-roader will have a good chance of managing hostile conditions, thanks to technology which does a lot of the thinking for you. But how many owners are actually going take the Tasman off road? Only about 15-20 per cent, according to Kia’s market research. But, for the people who are more likely to use their utes for shopping trips and school runs, the Tasman is well-suited there, too. The cabin is impressively quiet and comfortable. In the X-Pro, the seats are supportive, heated, and offer generous recline in both the front and rear rows. It also has the kinds of features you’d expect to see in a family sedan, including a large infotainment screen, sunroof, wireless charging dual climate zones, and a heated steering wheel. The back row particularly stands out for its design and ride quality. It feels much more like a regular passenger vehicle than most dual-cab utes on the market. But this car doesn’t answer the fundamental question of whether Australia needs, or can support, another pretty-good diesel ute. It’s hard to shake the feeling that the Tasman would have been a hit three or four years ago, but now it might be too little, too late. It’s lucky the Tasman does well off-road, because it’s facing a big uphill battle.