Kia to Launch 4 New 7-Seater UVs in Next 1 Year

Seeing the growing demand for larger utility vehicles (MPVs and SUVs), the Korean automaker, Kia, is now planning to introduce four 3-row UVs in the country in the next 1 year. The company will launch the new-gen Carnival MPV and the EV9 electric SUV on October 3, 2024. 

The Korean automaker is also preparing to give a mid-life facelift to the Carens MPV that has been spotted testing multiple times on the Indian roads. The big update is that Kia India is also developing a new 3-row electric MPV, which is likely to be based on the Carens. In fact, the electric model was caught testing 

The Carens facelift will receive design changes inline with new Sonet and Seltos along with an upgraded cabin. It will have a new grille, new headlamp setup and new LED connecting light bar. On the inside, the MPV will have a new dashboard design with a Sonet-like central console. The Carens facelift is also likely to receive a 360-degree surround view camera. It is likely to retain the existing engine options including a 1.5L NA petrol, a 1.5L turbo diesel and a 1.5L turbo petrol. 

The electric version of the Carens will receive EV-specific design changes and share styling cues from the upgraded ICE-powered sibling. The Kia Carens EV could get a battery pack of around 45-50kWh with a front-axle-mounted electric motor. It is likely to offer an electric range of over 400km on a single charge. 

The next-gen Kia Carnival will be introduced as a CBU model and is expected to cost somewhere around Rs 50 lakh. However, Kia will start local assembly of the MPV at a later stage. It will be powered by a 2.2L turbo diesel engine that is good for 200bhp and 440Nm of torque. Transmission duties will be handled by an 8-speed 'Sportsmatic' automatic gearbox. 

The Kia EV9 will be the brand's flagship model, which will be offered in a fully-loaded EV9 GT-Line AWD variant. The electric SUV will come with six-seat and seven-seat layouts. It is based on the brand's Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) which also underpins the EV6. The EV9 is packed with a 99.9kWh battery pack and dual-motors offering 379bhp and 700Nm of torque.

It is claimed to offer an electric range of up to 445km on a single charge. The EV9 is claimed to achieve 0-100kmph in just 5.3 seconds before hitting a top speed of 200kmph. The battery can achieve 10-80% charging status in just 24 minutes using a 350kW charger.

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