Kia SP2i Spied Testing, Looks Beefier Than Hyundai Creta

Hyundai’s subsidiary brand will start its Indian journey in the second half of this year with a compact SUV to rival the Creta and Duster

• Codenamed SP2i, the compact SUV will be based on 2018 SP Concept. 
• Kia SP2i will be launched with both petrol and diesel engines.
• Launch expected in September 2019. 
• Likely to be named Kia Trailster or Kia Tusker.
• Kia recently opened its first-ever showroom in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• SP2i prices are expected to be in the range of Rs 10 lakh - Rs 16 lakh (ex-showroom). 
• Will rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Renault Captur, Nissan Kicks as well as 2020 Volkswagen T-Cross and Skoda Kamiq. 

Latest Update: The Kia Seltos has now been revealed. It will be available with three BS6 engine options and all the engines will be available with an automatic transmission too. Apart from the various powertrain options, Kia has also revealed some features of the Seltos. Read in detail about the compact SUV here. 

The SP Concept-based Kia compact SUV seems to be on its final leg of testing as the launch is set to happen in the second half of 2019. It will be Kia’s debutant product in India and is likely to be named Trailster or Tusker. The compact SUV was recently spotted testing in the NCR. 

In the spy image, the production SUV looks beefier from the rear than its arch-rival and sibling, the Hyundai Creta. And it won’t be surprising if the Kia SUV turns out to be dimensionally bigger than the Creta since it’s expected to form the basis of the next-gen Creta. 

The SP2i’s tail lamps appear near-identical to the concept’s and there are fair chances that the front profile will be similar to the concept’s as well. The highlight on the inside could be a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system, as seen on the concept. The Kia SP will be a 5-seat SUV like its rivals. 

Read in detail about the Kia SUV here: 5 Cool Features Spied On Kia SP2i SUV Prototype

The SP2i SUV will be based on a new Hyundai-Kia platform (likely to be a reworked version of the existing Creta platform), which is likely to underpin the 2020 second-gen Hyundai Creta. While the engine specifications are unknown at this point in time, Kia had confirmed that the compact SUV will be available with both petrol and diesel engine options. It is rumoured to get a new set of BSVI 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines. 

The Kia SUV is expected to range between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 16 lakh (ex-showroom). It will rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Renault Captur, Nissan Kicks and the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross as well as the upcoming Volkswagen T-Cross and the Skoda Kamiq, both expected to join in late 2020. It will also go up against the Tata Harrier, which is bigger size-wise, but priced aggressively.

• India-bound Skoda Kamiq Showcased At Geneva Motor Show 2019