A quick look at the Kia pavilion…
The Delhi Auto Expo returned to action after a two-year hiatus and everyone wanted to celebrate it big time. Kia did exactly that and put on an outstanding display at the 16th edition of the event. From showcasing 2 new vehicles to having the existing product line on display, Kia made sure they garnered attention.
Kia EV9 Concept
The phenom at the Kia India stand was this automotive incarnation of a woolly mammoth. The EV9 Concept was one of the star attractions of this year’s show as not many expected Kia to bring such a concept to India.
The EV9 is a fully-electric concept SUV that debuted at the LA Motor Show back in 2021, with the production model speculated to arrive by the end of this year. It’s underpinned by the E-GMP platform, which is the same as the Kia EV6.
It’s expected to feature the bigger 77.4 kWh battery pack, and the E-GMP platform features an 800V electrical architecture that can support charging speeds of up to 350kW.
Kia KA4 Carnival
The KA4 is essentially the fourth-generation avatar of the Kia Carnival, which was a grand success in India in its third-generation form. The KA4 leans more towards SUV-kinda styling as compared to the previous generation, which looks more like an MPV.
Kia brought the KA4 to the Auto Expo to gauge customer response, and not with the intention of launching it anytime soon. However, it could go on sale at a later date.
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It’s underpinned by the Hyundai-Kia N3 platform, and available with two powertrain options in the global market – a 202HP, 2.2L Inline-4 Diesel engine and a 296HP, 3.5L V6 Petrol engine. The India-spec model might only receive the Diesel engine.
Kia Carens PBVs
Kia has created ‘Purpose-Built Vehicle’ (PBV) versions of the Carens MPV and they’re on display at the Auto Expo. Kia showcased the ambulance and law enforcement vehicle forms. Mechanically, they remain the same as the regular car.
The ambulance avatar sports yellow and red decals all around it, and wide “AMBULANCE” lettering, the second and third-row seats are gone and replaced with flatbeds and comes equipped with all the necessary medical facilities. The law enforcement form of the Carens PBV features red and blue decals all around the outside and has a police siren mounted on its roof.
Kia EV6 GT Line
While Kia was expected to bring the performance-orientated EV6 GT to the Auto Expo, they brought the regular EV6 GT Line instead. But that doesn’t the EV6 isn’t good enough to steal the show. Kia had a pair of EV6’s on display-a Runway Red one and a Snow White Pearl one.
Kia launched the EV6 in India in its top-spec guise called the GT Line, in June last year. It is the first electric car in Kia India’s lineup and is sold as a CBU. Kia had initially planned only 100 units of the EV6 for 2022, but the demand was so high that they smashed the double-century mark in just 5 months since its launch.
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The EV6 is available in a single-motor, rear-wheel drive guise with 229 HP and 350Nm, and also a dual-motor configuration with 325HP and 605Nm of Torque. The motor(s) draw power from 77.4 kWh battery that offers an ARAI-certified range of 708km on a single charge. Pricing starts at ₹59.95 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom, India).
Current Product Line
Kia also had other products from their current portfolio on display at the Auto Expo such as the Carens, Sonet, Seltos, Sonet X-Line, and the Seltos X-Line. Kia was said to bring other models like the Seltos Facelift and the Sorento 7-seater SUV for the Auto Expo, but that never happened.
