As compared to the crossover-like design of Sonet and Seltos, Kia’s new SUV will have a distinct tall and boxy design
In a short span of just around 4 years, Kia has emerged as a popular SUV brand. In terms of volumes, Kia is ranked the 5th largest carmaker in India. The primary growth drivers are Seltos, Sonet and Carens.
Kia working on new sub-4-meter SUV
As Kia aims to strengthen its presence in India, it is imperative for the company to introduce new products. Towards that end, Kia is working on a new sub-4-meter SUV. It is internally codenamed AY. Kia has now trademarked a new name in India, Clavis.
Kia Clavis SUV is likely to be based on Hyundai Exter. The latter has emerged as a popular choice, with a market share of more than 8% in the subcompact segment. Some of the design inspiration for Kia’s new SUV can also come from Kia’s international bestsellers such as Kia Soul.
Kia’s new Clavis SUV will have a distinct design to achieve a clear differentiation, relative to Sonet and Seltos. Kia’s new SUV will have a rugged profile, something that can help attract an entirely new segment of users.
Kia Clavis SUV will have a tall, boxy design, ensuring more space for the passengers. This could be positioned as a fix for Sonet’s rear legroom issue, as reported by users. Sonet’s design favours a larger boot space, which in turn has reduced legroom for rear passengers.
Kia Clavis SUV to get ICE and Electric powertrains
One of the powertrain options for ICE models of Kia’s new SUV could be the 1.0-litre turbo petrol motor. It generates 120 PS of max power and 172 Nm of peak torque. Transmission choices include 6iMT and 7DCT. Kia’s new sub-compact Clavis SUV will have front-wheel drive, like Sonet. Details about the electric variants are not available at this point of time. However, in view of prevailing industry standards, a range of around 350 km to 400 km is likely.
Kia Clavis petrol variants could be priced form Rs 6-7 lakh while the electric variants could be priced from Rs Rs 12-14 lakh. Upon launch in India, it will take on the likes of Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch. Together, these two small SUVs are generating sales of about 23k every month.
With the new Clavis SUV, Kia will be able to further increase its market share in the SUV segment. As of now Kia UV sales are around 2.4 lakh units per year. SUV market share is around 10-12 percent. India is currently the third largest market for Kia and also one of the leading export hubs. Kia has been the fastest to reach cumulative sales of 5 lakh units and the fastest to register profits.
