Kia will begin its India innings in 2019 with the introduction of its Hyundai Creta-rivaling SP-concept-based SUV. In addition, the company has already begun work on its second model for the Indian market, which will mark the brand’s entry in the crucial sub-four-metre compact SUV segment.
The new model will make its global debut at the 2020 Auto Expo, in New Delhi, and will take on the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the Ford Ecosport and the Tata Nexon compact SUVs. This new SUV is likely to be Kia’s smallest offering worldwide and may be offered in other markets abroad.
The new Kia compact SUV will share its underpinnings with the Hyundai QXi compact SUV set to launch in around March next year. While the Kia compact SUV will share many mechanical bits with the Hyundai QXi, it will get a completely different body shell. On the inside, expect Kia to equip its smallest SUV yet with premium-looking interiors and a long feature list, replete with a high-end touchscreen infotainment system.
The Kia compact SUV will share engines with the Hyundai QXi too, so you can expect not just one but multiple engine options on offer. Sources tell us that while the engines will be shared, the Kia derivative will receive different engine and suspension tuning than its Hyundai counterpart.
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