Ever since Kia stepped foot in our country, it has tasted anything but success. The Korean carmaker currently has 3 vehicles in its portfolio – Sonet, Seltos and the Carnival. We previously reported that Kia is currently working on an India-bound MPV that goes by the codename ‘KY’. It is touted to be an “India strategic” model, but it won’t be limited to just the Indian market. The KY MPV is set to mark its debut sometime later this year but the timeline can be pushed to Jan 2022 as well.
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The new spy shots that have graced the internet suggest that the upcoming Kia MPV could turn out to be a 7-seater version of the Seltos.
Carving out a 7-seater SUV based on a 5-seater version of the same is the latest automotive trend that manufacturers are swearing by and the Seltos could receive a similar treatment in near future. Recently, Kia officially unveiled its Sonet 7-seater in Indonesia. The India-spec Sonet measures 3,995mm in length while the one that exists in the Indonesian market measures 4,120mm. It wasn’t hard for the manufacturer to carve out an extra row of seating in the Sonet. The same can be expected to happen with the Seltos as well. This is even more believable, given the spawning of the Hyundai Alcazar.
Looking closely at the images reveal that the raked A-pillars, window line and the front doors bear a stark resemblance to that of the Seltos. The roof, however, is taller to make way for greater headroom for the third row of seats. It is absolutely logical to assume that the 7-seater Seltos will be underpinned by the same platform that the Alcazar is built upon. It could also utilize the same set of powertrains. The Alcazar is available with a choice between a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel powerplant. The petrol unit is the third generation Nu 2.0 unit that puts out best-in-segment 157 bhp and 191 Nm of peak torque. Hyundai noted that the Alcazar petrol can go from zero to 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds. The 1.5-litre diesel engine, on the other hand, develops 113 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque, which is the same as in Creta diesel. Both the powerplants are available with a choice between a six-speed manual gearbox and a six-speed automatic transmission.
Also read: Here Are 5 Kia Cars We Would Love To See In India
We can expect Kia to slightly tweak the aesthetics of the 7-seater Seltos to make it differentiate from its 5-seater counterpart. The aesthetic updates could include a new grille and front bumper design along with new alloy wheels.