Kia Tasman ute ‘Easter Egg’ is a nod to Australian roots

Despite prototypes of the 2025 Kia Tasman testing in Australia and overseas for almost eight months, a subtle 'Easter Egg' has only now been discovered on the ute.

Images have emerged online showing the Tasman with small embossed kangaroos on the back of the wing mirrors – as a subtle nod by Kia to the vehicle's Australian roots.

As previously reported, Australia is at the centre of the model's development – as evidenced by the name Tasman, derived from the sea that separates Australia and New Zealand, named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.

Teaser videos published by Kia show the Tasman undergoing testing in the Australian bush ahead of its expected unveiling later this year.

Easter Eggs – the colloquial term for things, often symbols, hidden in plain sight – have long been a favourite of Jeep, with the company including images of the brand's iconic grille and silhouettes of early models throughout their cars.

MORE: The best hidden symbols and Easter eggs on modern cars

While animals are a favourite, one Jeep features a spider saying "Ciao baby".

With utes being a key segment locally – and the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger dominating sales charts for the past eight years – it seems Kia wants to align the Tasman as a ute designed and developed for Australia.

The Korean car maker has suggested it is targeting 20,000 annual sales for the model, which would make it the fourth most popular ute in the country – but would boost overall sales for the brand by more than 25 per cent.

The ute is believed to be powered by a version of the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine found in the Kia Sorento and Carnival, where it produces 148kW and 440Nm.

It's also expected an electric version of the Tasman will be developed for release in the coming years.