The Sportage is based on same platform as Hyundai Tucson and both these products share lots of components which will help Kia bring down cost
Kia officially announced that first model to be launched in India will be the production version of SP Concept. The production version will compete against Hyundai Creta as the popular compact SUV segment is the right choice for the company to start its India sales as demand is very high which could help Kia to get a good start in India.
The company also announced that they will bring four models to India in quick time after the launch of SP Concept production model which is a brand new model developed from scratch for India and global markets. But the other four products planned for India will be from its International line up and Kia is likely to follow Volkswagen and Jeep approach in which they launch premium models first and later coming down to volume models.
Also Read : India-Bound 2019 Kia Sportage Revealed With New Powertrain
This strategy will help the brand to create a premium image for Korean manufacturer in India. The second model coming to India will be Sportage which was also part of the models showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. The Sportage is based on same platform as Hyundai Tucson and both these products share lots of components which will help Kia bring down cost.
But the design of Sportage is completely different from Tucson as it is more like a sporty SUV with a premium image. The design is certainly going to be USP of Sportage in India. Kia is offering so many kits as standard in global models which include fog lamps, hill-start assist, hill-descent control, cruise control, Bluetooth, USB and more in base variants.
Also Read : Kia Compact SUV (Creta Rival) India Launch By August 2019
The top end models come with features like 7 inch or 8 inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control, key less entry, push button start, leather seats, alloywheels, JBL sound system, panoramic sunroof, reverse camera, parking assist, adaptive bi-xenon headlamps and more.
In India, Kia could source engines from Tucson. The 2.0 L petrol and diesel engine from Tucson will be ideal for Sportage but the tuning will be different and the manual and automatic gearbox options will be available along with option four wheel drive system. Kia will officially launch Sportage in India by early 2020 to compete against Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson.
source: autocarpro