Kia Motors, which entered the Indian market last year has become one of the best-sellers in just a few months of its launch. Kia launched its second product at the 2020 Auto Expo in Delhi in the form of a luxury MPV – the Carnival. While there are many reports that suggest that Kia may enter the highly competitive hatchback and the affordable sedan segment in India, Financial Express reports that they are currently not planning to launch any vehicle in those segments yet.
Kia’s first vehicle, the Seltos has become a huge success in the Indian market and it became the best-selling vehicle in the segment soon after its launch. Kia recently launched the premium MPV – the Carnival that takes on the higher-end variants of the Toyota Innova Crysta and offers many more features. In the future, Kia will continue to focus on the premium vehicles and will not enter the affordable segment.
As per an interview with Lorenz Glab, vice-president, product management sub-division, Hyundai Motor Group, the parent company of Kia Motors, Kia is only planning to launch products in the premium segments and become a niche brand in India. They will not launch products to take on the segment leaders in the coming future.
So we can safely assume that there will not be any hatchback or a sub-4m compact sedan from the brand in the Indian market. Kia will instead focus on the growing segment – the SUV and will launch MPVs in the market.
Kia recently showcased the all-new QYI at the 2020 Auto Expo, which will become the brand’s most affordable vehicle in the Indian market when it is launched. The vehicle will compete with the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford Figo and more. It will get a long list of segment-first features that includes Bose speakers, ventilated seats and many more.
There are no engine details of the car revealed by Kia but it is likely to be offered with the 1.0-litre turbocharged engine that powers the Hyundai Venue. Kia will also introduce the intelligent Manual Transmission, which will allow the driver to shift gears without using the clutch. Kia plans to launch electric vehicles in the Indian market in the coming times.
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