It appears that the insatiable appetite for SUVs knows no bound, with automakers dishing out a never-ending lineup of similarly-sized models. Enter Kia, rumored to be cooking up another crossover for its lineup in India and other markets around the world. This one is going to be a sub-compact model, measuring under 4 meters, and it’s set to wear the Clavis moniker.
The rumors first surfaced when Kia
trademarked the name ‘Clavis’ for the Indian market earlier this month. Although
the trademark filing on December 12 doesn’t specify the body style of the
potential model, local media reports suggest it will be an SUV. Unnamed sources
from India indicate that the Kia Clavis will feature a boxy and rugged design,
although there are conflicting rumors regarding its market positioning.
Autocar India suggests that the Kia Clavis
will bridge the gap between the recently facelifted Sonet and Seltos. An
ICE-powered version will reportedly be available at launch, with an EV option
added later on. The publication says that sales of the model will start in
early 2025, although a debut could take place in 2024. Other sources, including
the Financial Express, suggest that the Kia Clavis will be a sibling to the
Hyundai Exter. The latter made its debut in 2023 as a small SUV, measuring
3,815 mm in length and sharing its platform and 1.2-liter
powertrains (both gasoline and bi-fuel) with the i10 Nios/Aura. If the Kia
Clavis is built on the same urban-focused architecture, it could potentially be
smaller than the Kia Sonet and the similarly-sized Kia Stonic available in
other markets.
Without any official confirmation or spy
shots of the Kia Clavis, we can only speculate about its design and specs. In
any case, judging from the growing demand for small and sub-compact SUVs in
many parts of the world, chances are that the new model will also be offered in
emerging markets outside India.
