Kia To Launch Premium Hatchback In India To Rival Baleno, Elite I20, Jazz

Soon, India will welcome the first Kia model, which is the Kia SP Concept. By 2020, Kia plans to launch two new vehicles in India. After the first-production, another sub-compact SUV will fill Kia’s timeline for the first two years in the India market. And the third vehicle from the South Korean brand will be a premium hatchback. This vehicle is expected to rival the recent hot selling models in the class like Maruti Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20.

For the India market, Kia will focus on keeping the price competitive enough to catch the attention of the mass consumers in the market. Besides, the company will not also stand out the SUV fever. Its two first products in the market have already confirmed to be SUVs.

Kia SP2i will be the first Kia models to enter the Indian market 

And with the third vehicle, Kia will extend the range and explore the hatchback segment, the most popular car types in India. Kia has confirmed its strategy to introduce a new vehicle every six months. So, the premium hatchback is supposed to be launched in late 2020 or early 2021.

Kia’s Baleno and Elite i20 rivalling hatchback will be developed specifically for the India market. It will be based on upcoming new-generation Kia Rio on the international market. And the vehicle will take on the look of a crossover. At the moment, Kia has already had a Kia Rio crossover on offer in the Russia and China. 

Kia's first hatchback might be inspired by the international Rio and will arrive in 2020-2021

Kia, on its first shot in the premium sedan class, will not directly go against the segment-leading Maruti Baleno but the second-leading Hyundai i20.

It is still unknown what engine setting the Kia will adopt on this hatchback. But considering that the BSVI will soon go into effect, Kia in all likelihood will get the BSVI-compliant 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine.

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