Kia sub-compact SUV, based on the Hyundai Venue is set to be launched by mid-2020. It will use the same engines that come with the Venue.
Kia Motors is planning to unveil two upcoming products at the 2020 Auto Expo. The first one is the Carnival MPV which will appeal to the buyers ready to shell out over Rs 25 Lakhs. The second product will be a sub-compact SUV based on the Hyundai Venue.
The SUV has already been spied testing in India a couple of times under camouflage. The new SUV is likely to be shown as a concept or pre-production model at the Auto Expo, with the official launch planned in July.
The new sub-compact SUV from Kia will sit on the platform of the Venue but will be styled completely different. That’s the case with Hyundai Creta and Seltos, as both are based on the same platforms, but look completely different. While the Creta looks classy, the Seltos looks a bit more sporty.
Also Read: Kia Seltos Crosses 50,000 Bookings in Less Than Two Months!
Reports say that unlike the boxy conventional styling of Venue, Kia’s offering could be a more funky and sporty approach. You will get dual-tone options, skid plates, sleek LED headlamps, roof rails and such bits to portray a sporty-SUV feeling.
The upcoming c-SUV will use the engines from Venue, including the 1.0 Litre turbo-petrol, 1.2 Litre petrol and the 1.4 Litre turbo-diesel engine. The gearbox options on Venue include 7-speed DCT for turbo-petrol, a 5-speed MT for petrol and a 6-speed MT for the diesel variant. Chances are that these gearboxes might also come on the Kia SUV.
Features on the new Kia sub-compact SUV could include big touchscreen infotainment, the UVO connect options, electric sunroof, wireless charging, cruise control and many more. Just like the Seltos, will the c-SUV also offer more features than the Venue? There are possibilities.
Also Read: Kia Planning Stinger, Soul EV And Other Imported Models For India
It is expected to be priced between Rs 7 Lakhs to Rs 11 Lakhs (ex-showroom), to rival the likes of Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport, Maruti Vitara Brezza and Hyundai Venue.
This upcoming offering from Kia will again be globally unveiled in India, later in the international markets. The new Kia sub-compact SUV will be completely made in India and later exported to the foreign markets. So, no worries about its prices either.
As for now, these two are the only planned cars from Kia for the 2020 Auto Expo. The Carnival will be priced more than Rs 25 Lakhs, putting it against Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and Isuzu MU-X. However, at that price, there is no other MPV.
