Kia Motors to Launch SUV Which Will Be Rival of Tata Harrier

Kia Motors made its debut in India earlier in 2018. It took part in Auto Expo and showcased its entire range of product. The South Korean car manufacturer unveiled...
Rival of Tata Harrier

Kia Motors made its debut in India earlier in 2018. It took part in Auto Expo and showcased its entire range of product. The South Korean car manufacturer unveiled Kia SP Concept SUV. The company’s Indian wing has now confirmed that it is going to be their first car in India while adding that the product will come out of the company’s new plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The new car is scheduled to be launched by mid of the next year and it is based on Hyundai Creta that has picked up massive success in India.

The SP SUV is supposed to be renamed as Tusker in times of its launch. The SP or Tusker is heavily inspired by the Creta but they come at different prices. As seen in the international market, Kia Cars are pricier than their respective Hyundai counterparts. The premium price tag is justified as the Kia products offer amazing quality and excellent post-sale customer care service. In such a scenario, Tata Harrier emerges as the 5-seater rival. Alternatively, we can say that Kia SP Concept SUV will be the perfect rival of Tata Harrier.

Tata Motors has confirmed the upcoming arrival of their own SUV in shape of Tata Harrier and its launch in India is scheduled in March 2019. The 5-seater new generation SUV, developed on the Land Rover platform, looks stylish. Tata Harrier is expected to give a tough competition to Kia Tusker upon their launch in India by the next year.

Sharing Platform & Components

Hyundai Creta and Kia SP Concept will share platform, parts, engine, and transmission. That is why Kia India has strategically chosen its manufacturing plant not far away from Hyundai’s plant in Chennai.

The exact engine options are yet to be revealed but the production version of the Kia model is most likely to come with a 1.5-litre diesel engine. That much is good enough to produce torque and power outputs nearly 250 Nm and 114 bhp respectively. In addition, a new 1.0-litre petrol engine will be made available and the unit is identical to the company’s international offer.  

Part sharing benefits both Kia and Hyundai, as both the companies can share their capacity of manufacturing. It is widely known in India that Hyundai has been undergoing struggles with their manufacturing capacity. Their sale, which is increasing with every passing year, remains in the range of 50-60,000 units/month. However, the scenario is supposed to change once Kia’s Indian plant starts its production.

Some reports suggest that a 1.5- liter petrol engine will be mated with a hybrid technology commencing in 2023. Transmission options are most likely to be both manual and automatic. However, an all-wheel-drive will not be on offer as that won’t be much in demand in the aforementioned segment.

Style

Rival of Tata Harrier

As far style is concerned, it has been toned down a little bit in the Kia SP Concept SUV. That is evident from the front style, as the LED headlamps have made room for the projector units. The ‘Tiger Nose’ grille looks identical to what is sported by the concept model as seen at the Auto Expo organized earlier this year. If you take a look at the rear, no change is noticed and identical exhaust and tail lamps are easy to spot.

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