It hasn’t been long since Kia entered our market and look at what the Korean manufacturer has accomplished so far! Kia currently has three offerings in India, namely: Sonet, Seltos and the Carnival MPV. The Sonet was specifically developed for our market and that goes on to show that the manufacturer is pretty determined in cashing out its huge popularity. And now, some presentations have leaked online stating that Kia is going to another MPV in its lineup.
More details
With markets like India as the primary target, the new Kia MPV is planned to be ready for launch in Jan 2022, about 1 year from now.
The new MPV is internally codenamed KY and will be underpinned by the highly successful Seltos’ platform. When it comes to positioning, expect Kia to place it slightly below the Carnival MPV. We can’t expect it to rival the Ertiga but it might take on the Innova Crysta and the Mahindra Marazzo. Kia aims to sell 50k units of this new MPV locally in the domestic market, while exports are planned at 26k units annually. Production will take place at the company plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh; which has a production capacity of 3 lakh units annually.
Expected specs and features
Needless to say, it will utilize the same set of powertrains we currently experience on the Seltos. The most likely choices are the 1.5-litre petrol engine (with 115 PS and 144 Nm) and the 1.5-litre turbo-diesel (115 PS and 250 Nm). The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine (140 PS and 242 Nm) may also be offered, but exclusively on the higher variants.
Expect the new MPV is expected to get the same set of features as the Seltos but Kia might go ahead and offer some more. It will most likely get ABS with EBD, dual front airbags, LED headlights and tail-lights keyless entry, sunroof, rear AC vents, electrically adjustable ORVMs with in-built turn indicators. On the dashboard, it might get a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ‘UVO’ (Kia’s connected tech), six-speaker music system, wireless charger, air purifier, and ambient mood lighting.
Also read: Kia Sonet Drive & Traction Modes: How Do They Work?
The upcoming MPV will assist Kia in strengthening its threshold in our country. Kia stepping in the less premium MPV segment could give the whole MPV segment a significant boost as well.