Kia’s upcoming 7 seat MPV for India: Exclusive details about Maruti Ertiga rival

Kia is currently working on an MPV for the Indian market. It was first spied on foreign roads but now it has been spied on the Indian roads too. The MPV is slated to launch in late 2021 or early 2022. This MPV will be the fourth vehicle from the manufacturer. They currently have the Sonet, Seltos and the Carnival. The MPV has been internally named KY and will be rivalling other MPVs like Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crysta and the Mahindra Marazzo. It is expected to price around Rs. 13 lakhs ex-showroom. Now, we have some exclusive details about the upcoming MPV.

The new MPV will come with split headlamps design with an LED Daytime Running Lamp above that will be joined with a piano-black strip. The design of the KY will be modern and attractive so that it does not look like an MPV. The ground clearance will be ample enough to tackle our bad Indian roads.

Then there are some interior details like it will come with an electric sunroof that will let in light so that the cabin does not feel claustrophobic. Kia will also be offering ambient lighting and curtains for the second-row occupants that will make the cabin look more premium and will also block sunlight. Kia will also be offering an air purifier with the MPV.

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The first in segment feature will be the electronic button to access the third-row seats. There will be a hidden storage compartment in the boot and 6-spoke alloy wheels. The MPV will also come with independent air conditioning controls for the second row. Then there will be a touchscreen infotainment system that will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. We also expect it to offer UVO connected car technology.

Kia could be attracting the general public with a plush and up-market feeling cabin that does not feel like it belongs in an MPV. The current interiors that we have seen in the Seltos, Sonet and the Carnival are also very attractive when compared to their competitors and Kia is expected to do the same with the KY. The manufacturer is aiming to sell 50,000 units of the MPV every year in India. They also aim to export 26,000 units of the KY annually.

We expect the MPV to come with LED tail lamps and LED headlamps that will sit in the bumper because it will be a split headlamp design. It is expected to measure 4.5-metres in length which is almost 200 mm longer than the Seltos mid-size SUV. It is also expected to be based on the SP2 platform that Seltos uses. However, we expect that the wheelbase of the KY will also be longer than the Seltos. It is just like Hyundai did with Creta and the Alcazar.

Earlier, it was expected that the KY will be using Seltos’s engine option. However, now after the unveiling of the Alcazar, it seems like KY will be sharing the engines and transmissions with the Alcazar. So, there could be a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 159 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 191 Nm. There will also be a 1.5-litre diesel engine producing 115 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 250 Nm. Both the engines will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

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