A new SUV positioned between Seltos and Sonet could help to capture a larger market share; Will it make sense to launch it in India?
Kia India has been one of the fastest-growing companies in the Indian automotive market. Despite sporting a very limited portfolio, the Korean carmaker’s sales numbers are quite encouraging. The company has played aggressively in the SUV space with the Sonet and Seltos along with the Carens MPV. So, will a new SUV positioned in a similar segment make sense for Kia? Let’s find out.
Kia Clavis Spied: What We Know
Reports suggest that the Clavis SUV will be positioned between the Seltos and Sonet. The Clavis name has already been trademarked in India and it is expected to debut by the end of this year or early next year. In terms of design, a boxy upright stance and high ground clearance will be a part of the package for the Kia Clavis. In addition to this, it will share the powertrain and a host of other components with its siblings.
Also Read: Maruti To Launch Electric MPV In India: Ertiga EV in Works
Kia Clavis Spied: Will it make Sense?
Considering the Seltos and Sonet already overlap each other in terms of pricing, squeezing in a new SUV could be a difficult task. In such cases, every product needs to have a USP, so that it finds a unique set of buyers. For general customers, a new SUV positioned in a similar segment will be just another product. However, we believe that the Clavis could be smartly positioned below the Sonet to compete with the likes of Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter. This makes a lot of sense considering the micro-SUV segment has expanded multifolds in the past few years. Tata sold over 18,000 units of Punch which is a big thing.
In addition to this, Clavis EV is also expected to get an electric version which could be the first mass-market EV for Kia in India.