Kia has plans to launch a 7 seater MPV in India next year – It is this MPV that has now been spied for first time
Since its arrival in the country, Kia Motors has tasted success, like no other OEM has ever done. After 3 successful product launches, namely the Seltos, Carnival and Sonet; Kia is now working upon its 4th product for the Indian market, which will be a 7 seater MPV.
While Kia already does have the Carnival in its portfolio, the premium MPV isn’t exactly a number churner for the brand. Instead, Carnival has helped Kia to position itself as a premium car maker in its category.
After dominating the SUV space, Kia intends to improve its presence in the MPV segment and hence is working upon a new MPV, which will be sharing its platform with the Sonet. Internally, Kia calls it the KY MPV and is expected to be launched in Jan 2022.
Expected Specs and Features
Recently, first set of spyshots of the KY MPV have emerged on the internet, credit to Kendara. From the spyshots, it is clear that the vehicle will have a proper MPV stance and will be offering 3 rows of seats. It is expected to measure around 4.5 meters in length, which will help it to provide sufficient space for 6/7 occupants.
Like typical Kia vehicles, we expect that the KY MPV will be offered with multiple powertrain options. Two 1.5L motors are expected to be on offer, a petrol and a diesel. On the features front too, the MPV would mostly not disappoint.
Speaking about features on offer, it should come along with a 360 degree camera, heads-up display, sunroof, air purifier, ventilated front seats, blind spot monitoring system, cruise control, DRLs, ambient lighting, connected car tech and much more. It might even have more features than the Sonet and Seltos.
Launch and Competition
It is expected that Kia will unveil this new MPV sometime towards the end of 2021, followed by a launch in early 2022. The KY MPV will be a global product and will also be manufactured and sold in other Asian markets, like Indonesia.
There are also rumors of a Hyundai version of this MPV which is supposedly called KS MPV. If the Hyundai version comes to life, it will be a two pronged attack on Maruti’s dominance in the segment (thanks to Ertiga + XL6).
In India, the KY MPV is likely to be positioned as an entry level premium MPV. Expect it to be priced higher than the Ertiga and XL6. Pricing is expected to be around the INR 10-15 lakhs mark.
