Reports have said for a while now that Kia will
enter the Indian market with a mini SUV. A new report from Autocar India says
that a new Kia mini SUV concept will debut at Auto Expo 2018.
The new
Kia mini SUV will have a body not exceeding 4,000 mm in length so as to qualify
as a small car. However, the latest report suggests that Kia will not restrict
the length, so as to pitch the model as a premium Hyundai Creta rival. Details
are scarce at the moment, but a possibility is that the new Kia mini SUV
concept will evolve into a production model similar to the Kia Stonic.
In addition to the Kia mini SUV concept, Kia will
display a slew of its production models already available in the international
markets. The line-up should include Kia Picanto (Hyundai Grand i10 competitor),
Kia Rio (Hyundai i20 equivalent), Kia Rio Sedan (Hyundai Verna rival), Kia Niro
full-hybrid SUV, Kia Sportage compact SUV, Kia Optima mid-size sedan, Kia
Sorento mid-size SUV and the Kia Stinger liftback.
The Kia mini SUV concept’s production version will
go on sale in India in 2019. Kia has started construction of its first local
facility in Anantapur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Production will
commence towards the end of 2019.
