Kia KY seven-seater MPV will likely go on sale in early 2022; could be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine
In a recent digital event, Kia announced that it will be entering a new segment in early 2022. While no more information divulged, it is expected to be a seven-seater MPV that will be positioned between the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Innova Crysta. The test prototype of what has been codenamed the KY has been spotted on foreign soil already as well.
The Kia KY will more likely be slotted directly rivalling the Mahindra Marazzo and top-spec variants of the Ertiga. With the South Korean focussing mainly on bringing up utility vehicles, making its presence felt in the MPV segment looks all the more in line. The Kia KY appears to be based on the same architecture as the Seltos mid-size SUV.
Thus, sharing mechanical bits and pieces including body panels will help in aggressively pricing the seven-seater model and achieving economies of scale. The people mover will sit below the Carnival MPV and here we have a rendering based on the spy pictures. The front fascia comprises a busy bumper section having a wide central air inlet with hexagonal grille and deep finished fog lamp clusters.
Moving up, the Kia KY has been imagined with sharp headlamps and integrated LED Daytime Running Lights and the signature Tiger Nose grille is also present. On the edge of the bonnet, the brand’s new corporate logo is grafted and the tall black finished pillars, as well as the raked front windshield, are other main highlights.
Elsewhere, the MPV features roof rails, alloy wheels, black ORVMs and door handles, chromed window line, muscular wheel arches, and a chiselled line extending from the bonnet. The Kia KY will more likely be offered with the 1.5-litre petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engines from the Seltos. The former develops 115 PS and 144 Nm while the latter kicks out 115 PS and 250 Nm.
Both six-speed manual and automatic transmission will be in the offing. As for the interior, expect premium features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with UVO Connect, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, panoramic sunroof, digital instrument cluster, wireless charger, steering mounted controls, automatic climate control, etc.