Kia Motors is working towards expanding its presence in the MPV category in India. After launching the Kia Carnival premium MPV, the Korean automaker has its sights now trained on the lower segment and will launch an all-new, mid-size MPV by 2021. The company will manufacture this model locally.

The plan to launch a Kia compact MPV in India is not based on the strong response gained by the Kia Carnival. The plan always has been to have three locally manufactured Kia models in India by the year 2021, beginning with the Seltos in 2019, the Sonet in 2020, and the compact MPV in 2021. The Seltos, Sonet, and the compact MPV will be vital to Kia’s growth in India.

The company has set up a manufacturing plant in India with a production capacity of 3,00,000 units in Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh). This year, which will be its first full year in India, it plans to make 1,70,000 vehicles at this plant and reach the breakeven point in the second half. In 2022, after the launch of three locally manufactured models, it plans to have reached the annual production capacity of 3,00,000 units.

The upcoming MPV from Kia should be a direct rival to the likes of the Toyota Innova Crysta, Suzuki Ertiga, Suzuki XL6, and the Mahindra Marazzo. It should be based on the same platform as the Kia Seltos and is expected to have adequate space for seven seats. This MPV is expected to be powered by similar engine choices found in the Seltos.