Kia SP (Hyundai Creta challenger) compact SUV rendered ahead of Auto Expo unveil

South Korean car maker Kia will start India operations next year and the first vehicle from the company will be a compact SUV that will be positioned in the Hyundai Creta segment. The new SUV will be shown as a concept at the 2018 Indian Auto Expo. Here is our render of the Kia SP SUV concept, and this will give you a picture of what the new vehicle will look like.

As the render shows, the new compact SUV is expected to get the typical front grille found on a range of Kia cars. The headlamps will be LED units and will be sharply raked. The front bumper will be large, with faux skid plates adding character to the front end. The rest of the SUV will look contemporary, like the Hyundai Creta, but without too much drama in terms of design lines.

Kia is expected to launch the SP compact SUV concept’s production version in India during the second half of 2019. On road testing of the vehicle will happen from later this year. Other details about the vehicle are not known for now although some key facts are expected to be revealed at the official unveil of the concept at the Auto Expo. Both petrol and diesel engine options are likely on the new SUV. Manual and automatic transmissions could also be offered. However, the SUV is expected to be front-wheel driven with no all wheel drive mode, even as an option.

The vehicle is expected to be feature-loaded, with safety features such as airbags and ABS standard, and a tech-heavy infotainment system with smartphone integration. In terms of pricing, Kia may choose to position the new compact SUV under the Hyundai Creta. This may be true for most products from the brand. Other rivals for the Kia compact SUV include the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and Maruti Suzuki S-Cross.