Sonet to lead Kia's second year in India

Kia Motors India had revealed its plans to launch six new cars in three years beginning from mid-2019. The company would expand its line-up with a new car every six months. While 2019 was witness to the debut of the Kia brand with the launch of the Seltos mid-size SUV, 2020 saw the launch of the Carnival MPV at the Auto Expo 2020 held in February. Next-up is the Sonet sub-four metre SUV that will be launched in India later this year. What does Kia have in store in the form of upcoming products? Let’s have a look.

The Kia Sonet is a sub-four metre SUV based on the same platform that underpins the Hyundai Venue. The model will rival the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and the Tata Nexon as well as upcoming models such as the Renault Kiger and the Nissan Magnite. The Sonet will also be the first Kia model in India to feature the brand’s intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT), details of which can be read here. The Sonet is scheduled to be launched in the festive season, around the month of August or September.

The first product to arrive after the launch of the Kia Sonet is expected to be the Soul EV. Taking benefit of Hyundai’s assembly line that brings in the Kona EV as a CKD unit for the Indian market, the Kia Soul EV is likely to be a part of the brand building exercise for the company as the EV industry it still in its nascent stages in India. The model will also build on the strong base laid by the Seltos and the Carnival, both of which have put out a tough fight with their respective segment leaders, the Hyundai Creta and the Toyota Innova Crysta. Under the hood of the Soul EV might be a 64kWh battery pack, as seen in the international model, returning a range of 452kms. The Soul EV could arrive early next year.

Following the Kia Soul EV could be an all new model, an MPV that is likely to use a modified version of the platform that underpins the Seltos. Set to rival the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Mahindra Marazzo, the model has been already spotted testing on public roads in Korea. The Kia MPV could be powered by the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines borrowed from the Seltos. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine is unlikely to make its way to this model. The Kia MPV might be launched in the second half of 2021.

Another interesting model to join Kia’s range of products in India could be the Telluride full-size SUV. Unveiled at the 2019 Detroit Motor Show, the model is powered by a 3.8-litre V6 engine producing 291bhp and 355Nm of torque. This engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Upon arrival in India, the Telluride will rival the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and the Skoda Kodiaq. The eight-seater SUV also won the 2020 World Car of the Year award.

*Kia MPV image for representation purpose only