tech2 News StaffApr 27, 2021 13:04:37 IST
At an online event this afternoon, Kia unveiled what it calls a thorough transformation for the brand globally, and also in India. As part of its global rebranding exercise, the company introduced India to its new brand logo – which has witnessed its biggest change since 1994 – and also announced it will no longer be known as ‘Kia Motors India’. Instead, it will now be known simply as Kia India, as the company hopes to transition from being an automobile manufacturer to a mobility solutions provider in the time to come.
While no new models were unveiled during the event, there were a couple of major talking points. Hardeep Singh Brar, Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing at Kia India, confirmed the updated 2021 Kia Seltos and Kia Sonet will be launched early in May. Both SUVs will now feature the new Kia logo, and are also expected to get a rejigged variant lineup and some more features.
The updated Kia Seltos will also get some added features. Image: Kia
One of the key additions for the Kia Seltos will be the addition of an intelligent manual transmission (iMT) option. Kia first rolled out this ‘clutch-less’ gearbox on its Sonet compact SUV and is now set to offer it with the bigger Seltos as well. Since its launch in 2019, the Kia Seltos has been a volume driver for the company, and this update is bound to give it a shot in the arm and help it compete on a more even footing than its mechanically identical cousin, the Hyundai Creta.
The range-topping Kia Seltos Gravity Edition – which is expected to feature a panoramic sunroof – is also set to be introduced in the coming weeks.
Kia also confirmed it will enter a new market segment in India in early 2022. Image: Kia
Similarly, the Kia Sonet, too, is expected to see a variant rejig, which will bring more features to select variants. However, neither the Seltos nor the Sonet are expected to get any engine changes, and will continue with the petrol and diesel engines they’ve been available with so far.
Interestingly, Kia also confirmed it will enter a new market segment early in 2022. This new model is rumoured to be a brand-new Kia MPV, which is likely to slot in between the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Toyota Innova Crysta, both in terms of size and price.
