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Kia Sorento Hybrid and Kia Carnival Hybrid will be the South Korean automaker’s first hybrid models in India, targeted at large families
After cementing its position in the compact and mid-size SUV segments, Kia is eyeing growth in higher segments. The company has lined up two new large global models for launch this year, both of which will be hybrid and arrive in the second half of the year.
The first of the two new big Kia cars arriving in India this year will be the Sorento, which competes with the Hyundai Santa Fe internationally. The D-segment SUV is 4,815 mm long, 1,900 mm wide, and 1,695 mm tall and has a 2,815 mm wheelbase. Kia offers the Sorento in 5-, 6-, and 7-seat versions globally, and in India, it may offer the 7-seat version as standard and the 6-seat version as an option.
While most automakers import cars in this segment in knocked-down kits or as a CBU, Kia plans to manufacture the Sorento, which would be a segment-first. What makes this project even more interesting is that the company plans to use a hybrid powertrain.
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Internationally, Kia uses a combination of a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor in the Sorento Hybrid. Kia has not localised the former, and even if it did, this setup could prove to be too expensive for Indian customers. Reports say that it plans to swap that engine with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol unit, which should be a derivative of the version it locally produces for the Seltos and Carens/Carens Clavis.
The Kia Sorento Hybrid will likely be loaded to the brim with premium equipment. 14-way power driver’s seat with memory and ventilation functions, 10-way power front passenger seat with a ventilation function, ventilated second-row seats, digital IRVM, gesture-controlled power tailgate with an automatic closing function, ten airbags, and a host of advanced driver assistance systems will likely be among the key features.
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The second model will be the Kia Carnival Hybrid, which will likely be imported as a CBU. The hybrid MPV has a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which is assisted by an electric motor, both mounted on the front axle. The petrol engine produces 180 PS (178 hp) and 27.0 kgf.m (265 Nm) of torque and the electric motor generates 54 kW (74 hp) and 304 Nm of torque. A 6-speed automatic transmission sends drive to the wheels.
In South Korea, the Kia Carnival Hybrid is claimed to deliver a fuel economy of up to 14.0 km/l. Kia offers the hybrid MPV in 7- and 9-seat versions in its home market, but in India, it may only offer the former.
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