A couple of leaked images from Kia Motors ‘Dealer Roadshow’ indirectly hints at series of products that could make way into the Indian market in their first attempt. These are from the event that took place in Delhi and will further continue in all major cities of India like Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore.
The cars seen here are Sportage, Cerato and Picanto. All three of them belong to three extremely different segment, ranging from INR 4-24 lakh. Kia Motors have no official word on any expected car for India but most reports expect Sportage to be their first product in 2019.
The mid-size SUV is an equivalent product to Hyundai Tucson and carries three different engine options in its international lineup. The petrol motors are 2.4L and 2.0L while diesel unit used on Sportage is 2.0L. It comes with 6-speed manual as well as automatic gearbox.
Their investment plans of around INR 12,750 Crore in Andhra Pradesh in next two years will help the brand establish itself against Indian veteran like Honda, Toyota and Maruti. They may share most parts with Hyundai cars and thus, the quality of materials used in Kia products will be much better than most others.
Kia Cerato is a Toyota Corolla Altis rival that comes with 2.0L petrol, 1.6L petrol and 1.6L diesel engine option. Picanto, on the other hand, is an entry level hatchback with 1.0L, 3-cylinder petrol and 1.2L, 4-cylinder petrol engine
This will make it a direct rival to Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon, Renault Kwid and Maruti Celerio. Entry of Kia Motors will also require a good supplier base as it can only help them keep the cost of cars under check. More details regarding launch products and company plans can emerge with their ongoing series of events in the coming days.
Photos Source: Gaadiwaadi
