All About Kia SUV Cars in India 2021 - Kia Seltos, Kia Sonet and More

Kia Motor is a young car brand in the Indian market. However, within a short time, Kia was able to thrive in the highly competitive automotive market place. At the moment, the South Korean car manufacturer has launched three models, including the Kia Seltos, Kia Sonet and Kia Carnival. The first two of these models are very successful models in the SUV segment. Let’s check out the details of all Kia SUV cars in India in 2021.

Kia Seltos

Kia Motor marked its entrance to the Indian market with the launch of the Kia Seltos in 2019 and became the first of the two Kia SUV cars in India. The first India-spec model of the Seltos was introduced in the compact SUV segment. At launch, the Seltos has set a new benchmark for the segment. The Seltos is warmly welcomed by Indian customers thanks to its good design and the full-equipped equipment list. At times, the Kia Seltos overthrown the Hyundai Creta to become the best-selling model in the compact SUV space.

About the features, the Kia Seltos is provided with a host of features. On the inside, the Setlos boasts a 10.15-inch infotainment touchscreen. This unit is supported with a host of connectivity features of the UVO connected technology system. Other highlight features of the Kia Seltos include an air purifier, ambient lighting, an 8-inch head-up display, a 7-inch multi-information display, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, as well as a sunroof. Moreover, to provide a comfortable experience for the passengers, the Kia Seltos is offered with ventilated front seats and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.

Under the hood, the Kia Seltos comes with three engine choices, including 1.5-litre petrol, a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol, and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The N.A petrol unit is good for 115PS/144Nm while the turbocharged petrol unit can offer the power outputs of 140PS/242Nm. The diesel unit here generates 115PS/250Nm. All three engines are available with a 6-speed manual gearbox. About the automatic gearbox, each engine gets a different option. The 1.5-litre petrol unit gets a CVT. The turbocharged petrol unit, on the other hand, is offered with an optional 7-speed DCT gearbox. The only diesel unit is available with a 6-speed torque converter unit. Check out the full details of each powertrain in the following table:

Kia Sonet

After the Kia Seltos, Kia Motor has introduced another model which is the Carnival MPV. The latest model to enter Kia’s product line-up, however, is the Kia Sonet, which is now the second of the 2 Kia SUV Cars in India in 2021. Kia Sonet is positioned as a sub-four-meter SUV and challenges the likes of Maruti Brezza and Hyundai Venue.

Kia Sonet shares the same powertrain options with the Hyundai Venue. The sub-four-meter SUV is offered with a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol, a 1.2-litre petrol, and a 1.5-litre diesel unit. The 1.2-litre petrol unit is powerful enough for 83PS and 115Nm. With 120PS and 172Nm, the turbocharged petrol engine is more powerful than the N.A unit. The 1.5-litre diesel unit comes with two states of tunes, depending on the transmissions. When mated to a manual gearbox, this engine can offer 100PS and 240Nm. With an automatic gearbox, the power output will be increased to 115PS and 250Nm.

Similar to the Kia Sonet, the Seltos is equipped with various technologies, including a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an air purifier, a sunroof, and wireless charging. In terms of safety, the Sonet offers ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, and vehicle stability management.

Upcoming Kia SUV

At the moment, Kia there are only two Kia SUV cars in India. Both of them are quite successful in the respective segments. In the future, the South Korean car manufacturer is willing to expand its presence in the SUV segment with a new SUV. It is expected that Kia will soon launch another SUV in a new segment earlier next year. Details of the upcoming model are not revealed yet. However, rumours suggested that it would be a seven-seater SUV. It is expected that the Kia Sorento would be the next Kia SUV to hit the Indian shore.

Kia Sorento is expected to be the next Kia SUV car to enter the Indian market 

In all likelihood, Kia’s new SUV will borrow the powertrains from Hyundai’s car, just like Kia Seltos and Sonet. It is expected that the upcoming Kia SUV will share the engines with the Hyundai Alcazar. These engines include a 2.0L, 4-cylinder (152bhp/192Nm) petrol and 1.5L turbo (115bhp/250Nm) diesel engine options. With these existing and upcoming Kia SUV cars in India, the local subsidiary of the the South Korean car company is building up a strong product range in the SUV segment. The success of their SUV models has contributed significantly to Kia's growing popularity in the Indian market in general.