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After launching the facelifted versions of the Seltos and Sonet SUVs this year, Kia is stepping into 2024 with a few ambitious plans. Among the new product launches Kia is planning for the near future, the Korean carmaker is also contemplating a compact electric SUV to take on the Tata Nexon.EV.
In a recent media interaction, Myung-Sik Sohn, the Chief Sales and Business Officer, of Kia India, confirmed to Telegraph that the carmaker is mulling a compact electric SUV to take on the Tata Nexon.EV. However, he also confirmed that this new all-electric SUV from Kia will be a more premium offering with more new-age features and design. However, Sohn also confirmed that the new Kia compact electric SUV is some time away, and will possibly make its debut in 2025.
Talking about the new compact electric SUV from Kia, it will be a product specifically designed and engineered keeping the Indian audience in mind. The upcoming Kia electric compact SUV will make its global debut in India, much like Seltos and Sonet, and will be the carmaker’s first attempt in the mass-market EV category, which is currently led by Tata Motors with Nexon.EV, Tiago.EV and Tigor.EV.
Currently, no information is available on this upcoming electric SUV from Kia. However, there are a couple of speculations which are connected with this news. Firstly, Kia might introduce an all-electric version of the Sonet, as a direct and slightly more premium alternative to the Nexon.EV. It is also possible that Kia might launch this new electric SUV with an all-new EV-specific platform, much like the EV6 and the soon-to-be-launched EV9.
The compact and midsize SUV segment is currently helmed by Tata Nexon.EV, with other offerings in the same space and above including Mahindra XUV400, MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona EV. Hyundai is already said to be working on an all-electric version of the Creta, which is likely to replace the ageing Kona EV. Also, while Maruti Suzuki will be launching the production-spec version of the eVX electric SUV concept in 2024, Honda has confirmed that it will be introducing the all-electric version of the Elevate sometime in 2025.
For now, Kia is betting high on the facelifted versions of the Sonet and Seltos SUVs, while having the Carens MPV and EV6 in the niche electric crossover segment. Except for the EV6, which is a CBU product, the rest of the Kia vehicles are locally manufactured at Kia’s production facility in Anantapur. Kia has also confirmed that it will be launching the all-new Carnival MPV and EV9 electric SUV, both of which are flagship offerings from Kia’s global lineup.
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