Maruti Brezza rival from Kia to follow Hyundai Creta-challenging SUV into India

Kia Motors, a South Korea based manufacturer will soon make its way to the Indian market. Kia has laid down the structural framework for its new manufacturing facility in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh and has officially announced that the operations will start in mid-2019. The plant will cover 23 million square feet and will have the capacity to produce 3 lakh vehicles annually when running on full steam.

Kia has announced plans for its product line-up in India. Earlier, the company showcased the SP Concept, which will be Hyundai Creta rival in the Indian market. The production of the car is expected to start in mid-2019 and the launch will happen around the festive season. With the rising popularity of the compact SUVs in India, the manufacturer has planned to enter the market with an SUV.

The next vehicle for the brand will be a sub 4-meter compact SUV to take on the likes of Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport in India. Not many details are out about this model but it is expected to be similar to Kia’s first car but only smaller in size. This vehicle is expected to be launched by mid-2020.

The manufacturer says that they also have a plan in place to launch a seven-seater SUV in the future. However, the production of that vehicle will depend on the market demand. It will be based on the same Kia SP concept platform and will take on the likes of Mahindra XUV 500 and Tata Hexa in the market. This arrival of this car has no definite timeline yet.

All the Kia cars will be premium offerings and we can expect them to be priced at a higher level than the Maruti and Hyundai. Kia will target the market that is looking for affordable luxury rather than the mass market that is the primary focus of the manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai in India.