Kia SP2i will rival Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier and Nissan Kicks; to be powered by 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines
Kia Motors India started the trial production of its first product for India known as the SP2i by the end of January 2019. During the commencement, Kia showcased the pre-production test mule and it has been spied testing several times on domestic soil already. It will be manufactured at the 536-acre spanning Anantapur factory in Andhra Pradesh that has 3-lakh production capacity per year.
The Korean carmaker has huge plans for India and is aiming for the fifth spot in annual sales in the coming years. More than 2 billion dollars have been invested along with vendor partners by Kia locally and the SP2i carries plenty of significance for its initial growth. It could carry the production name Tusker or Trailster.
The SP2i will rival against Hyundai Creta, Tata Harrier, Nissan Kicks and co in the highly competitive SUV segment and is based on the SP concept debuted at last year’s Auto Expo. The SP2i is a global model and just as Venue from its parental brand, the premium SUV will be retailed in several markets including Australia and South Korea.
The production SP2i will resemble its concept by a big margin and it comes with sleek pair of headlamps, traditional Tiger Nose front grille, 17-inch machine cut alloy wheels, a compact rear end with horizontal LED tail lamps, disc brakes on all wheels, sporty bumper up front and rear, thick and tall pillars for spacious cabin, etc.
To have a competitive advantage over rivals, the Kia SP2i will be equipped with segment-first features such as all-digital instrument cluster. Other important expected features are a large touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, cruise control, multi-functional steering wheel, 360-degree camera and a host of driver assistive and safety equipment.
Expect the starting price of the SP2i to sit just under Rs. 10 lakh while the top-end could carry sticker tag of around Rs. 15 lakh (ex-showroom). Kia could stuff the SP2i with a long list of equipment as high localisation is targetted and it will be powered by 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines. The SP2i will go on sale in the early parts of Q3 2019.