Kia SP2i: Interior sketches of Hyundai Creta-based compact SUV out

South Korean automaker Kia Motors has just revealed the interior sketches of the SP2i compact SUV. The official reveal of the SUV will happen in June, following which it’ll be launched in India in a few weeks’ time. The compact SUV shares its platform with the Hyundai Creta, which gives Kia Motors access to the huge parts supplier base that Hyundai has already developed in India. However, the Kia SP2i, which is likely to be called the Tusker when it hits production, will be built at a brand new factory that Kia Motors has put together at Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The Kia Tusker will sit above the Hyundai Creta in terms of price and positioning, and will be a five seater.

The latest sketches of the Kia Tusker reveal that the SUV will get a classy, minimal layout. A two tone colour scheme is likely to be offered on the inside, much in contrast to the spyshots of the SUV, which showed all-black interiors. The interiors look quite different from that of the Hyundai Creta, and we expect the premium-ness quotient to go up by a few notches. There is a touchscreen infotainment system that occupies a prominent place in the dashboard of the Tusker. It’s a floating-type cluster. The interiors of the SUV also reveals that an automatic gear shifter. Ambient lighting is also seen in one of the sketches.

In terms of features too, the Kia Tusker is expected to offer more than what the Creta does. As for mechanicals, there are two strains of thoughts about this. One suggests that the 1.6 liter petrol and turbo diesel engines, along with the 6 speed manual and torque converter automatic gearboxes, will be carried over to the Tusker. The other suggests that Kia will debut brand new 1.5 liter petrol and turbo diesel engines that Hyundai has developed to meet the upcoming Bharat Stage 6 emission norms.

While Kia may not make the 1.5 liter petrol and turbo diesel engines BS6 compliant right from the outset, the engines are likely to quickly switch over to the new norms near the deadline of April 2020. The Kia Tusker will be a front wheel driven SUV, and there are no plans to offer an all wheel drive layout on it. It’ll get a monocoque body like most other SUVs in its segment.

Prominent features on the SUV are likely to include automatic climate control, paddle shifters, six airbags, traction control, EsSP, ABS, ventilated seats, electric parking brake, head-up display, leather upholstery, start-stop button, automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers, cruise control, electric sunroof and keyless entry.