Barretos Cowboy Festival, in São Paulo, the largest rodeo festival in Latin America, has a lot to do with pickup trucks and their audience. VW chose this event to anticipate the definitive look of Tukan and also the new Amarok completely camouflaged. Tukan promises to face the leader Strada head-to-head, which has led the Brazilian market for cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles for five years. Among compact pickups, the Fiat model has always been the leader, since its launch in 1998.
To challenge its biggest rival, the new pickup will have single and double cabs, betting on a strong look, high front, well-marked wheel arches, more than 700 kg of load capacity and will debut in the first half of 2027. It will have a rigid rear axle and single-blade semi-elliptical springs (instead of the helical ones, from Saveiro and also from Montana), a solution used by Strada and appreciated by buyers who understand it as more robust.
The German brand did not say if the Saveiro will be discontinued, which should happen, but the Tukan shown with a single cab for the first time will keep the Robust name, rear drum brakes, two small roof bars and six auxiliary handles in the bucket that appears to be larger than the current one. The double cab, Extreme, will have four doors (Saveiro has always had the limitation of only two doors) and more interior space. There will be two engine options: 1-L turbo of 116 hp (to receive tax incentive) and 1.5-L turbo of 150 hp that should debut the semi-hybrid system of 48 V much more efficient than the 12 V.
Photo: VW | Disclosure
Tukan, therefore, does not seem to be just a new pickup to complete the Volkswagen lineup. It is a direct response to the Strada. The brand saw that Fiat found a formula that works and decided to follow the same path, only with a newer and larger project. Volkswagen wants to use the new pickup to increase its share in a market segment that continues to grow.
Also in Barretos the new Amarok, which will continue to come from Argentina in 2027, appeared completely camouflaged. VW confirmed that it will have hybridization and will be the most powerful in the history of the model, which has just completed 800,000 units produced since 2010.
Kia enters the midsize pickup truck market with Tasman
The segment already has strong names, such as Hilux, Ranger, S10, Frontier and Triton. To conquer space, the South Korean brand’s first pickup features rectangular lines and a very different front end. Tasman does not go unnoticed and seems to be exactly what Kia aims for. Its size is very close to that of the leader Hilux (mm): length, 5.410; wheelbase, 3.270; width, 1.930; height, 1.870. 1.173 L bucket, almost 20% larger than the Toyota model, manufactured in Argentina and only R$ 5.300 cheaper than the Tasman of South Korean origin and thus taxed with 35% import tax.
Photo: Kia| Disclosure
Turbodiesel engine, 2.151 cm³, 210 hp, 45 kgfm, eight-speed epicyclic automatic transmission and 4×4 traction with reduced. Accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.7 s. Driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, Smart, as well as mud, sand and snow. For off-road, the following stand out: 231 mm of ground clearance, entry angles (degrees), 28.9; departure, 25; and ramp 23.7. Immersion capacity: 800 mm. Body is monocoque, different from the traditional chassis of stringers. Inmetro standard consumption: city 9.5 km/l and highway 10.9 km/l. 80 L tank.
First contact with Tasman, in Cabreúva (SP), was on a track prepared for different situations such as dirt, holes, obstacles and ramps. Despite its size, it is easy to drive and offers a good position behind the wheel. Front suspension is not McPherson, as Kia informs. In practice, the suspension set works well, despite its relatively small travel. This only appears when passing through larger obstacles or very irregular sections.
Engine and gearbox set are not so impressive, as the Tasman weighs 2.248 kg, but it gets the job done. Another feature that works well is the descent control. On stronger ramps, just activate the system and the pickup starts to control the speed, without the driver constantly applying the brake. In a situation of low grip, it transmits safety.
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