Nexen tires for Kia Tasman pickup approved
Nexen Tire announced that the all-season tires Nexen Roadian HTX2, designed to provide high comfort on asphalt and moderate off-road capability, have been included in the initial equipment of the Kia Tasman pickup truck. Nexen tires will be installed on vehicles exported to Latin America.
According to Nexen, to meet the diverse requirements of SUV and pickup truck owners, the company used its latest patented technologies when creating the Nexen Roadian HTX2, and, for example, three-dimensional lamellas (whose design is also patented) improve traction and off-road capability in snow, while the internal structure that reduces heat generation was optimized for use under heavy loads and improves tire durability at high speeds. In addition, the rubber compound was developed taking into account the dynamic characteristics of pickups and allowed to increase stability, as well as the reliability and wear resistance of the tires.
To confirm the effectiveness of the tires both on paved roads and beyond, comprehensive tests were conducted. In particular, wear resistance tests were carried out in North America and Korea, and off-road characteristics were evaluated on a site with deep ruts, surface irregularities up to 200 mm high and inclines up to 20 degrees. "The test results confirmed that the tires have a high resource and are able to adapt to the harsh road conditions of Latin America, including mountainous, desert and snowy areas," Nexen emphasizes.
In recent years, the Korean company has continued to expand its presence in the global market for SUV and pickup truck tires, including through cooperation with leading automakers. In addition, as part of the partnership with Kia, Nexen tires are installed on the company's electric cars, such as EV3, EV4, EV6, EV9, and others, which "demonstrates the brand's competitiveness in both traditional and electrified mobility segments".
"We are seeing significant growth in deliveries to the SUV and pickup truck tire market, which has become possible due to constant investments in research and development and the fact that our products have world-class quality," said John Bosco (Hyun Suk) Kim, CEO of Nexen. "By strengthening strategic ties with global automakers, we will continue to supply premium-class tires to customers around the world".