Kia India has announced that the updated Seltos and Sonet SUVs will be launched in May 2021. The company has also confirmed that it will enter into an all-new segment in early 2022. The video reveals a 7-seater utility vehicle, which could be an all-new mid-sized MPV. Kia is reportedly working on a new MPV, which has recently been caught testing in India and Korea.
Codenamed Kia KY, the new 7-seater MPV will be positioned between the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Toyota Innova Crysta – in terms of pricing. It will directly rival the Mahindra Marazzo. The new MPV will be manufactured at the brand’s Anantapur based plant. It is expected that Kia will export this model to select Asian markets including Indonesia.
Leaked documents reveal that Kia Motors aims to sell 50,000 units of the new compact MPV in India. Adding to it, the brand will export close to 25,000 units annually. The new model is expected to be based on the Seltos’ platform, which also underpins the new Hyundai Creta. In fact, the upcoming Hyundai Alcazar 7-seater SUV is also based on the same platform.
The new Kia MPV is expected to be offered in 6-and 7-seat layouts. The vehicle might share the styling elements and features with the Seltos SUV. The MPV could share the wheelbase with the Alcazar, which is 2,760mm – a 150mm more than that of Creta and Seltos wheelbase. This will help Kia to create more space inside the cabin.
The Kia KY MPV is likely to source its engine setup from the Kia Seltos that is offered with two petrol and a diesel powertrain. However, the MPV could miss out on 1.4L turbocharged petrol engine. It is expected to be offered with two engine options – a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel. While the former is good for 113bhp and 145Nm of torque, the oil burner produces 113bhp and 250Nm of torque. The MPV could also share the 159PS, 2.0L petrol engine from the Alcazar SUV.
