Having launched three vehicles since its market entry in 2019, Kia India is now readying its fourth model for launch – a brand-new midsize MPV, which goes by the ‘KY’ codename. Since its debut over two years ago, the Korean carmaker has launched the Kia Seltos midsize SUV, the Kia Sonet compact SUV and the Kia Carnival MPV. The latest addition to the line-up, the Kia KY MPV, will make its world premiere on 16 December, but that will only be a showcase, as the launch of Kia’s new MPV will take place sometime in the first quarter (January-March period) of 2022.

“We are happy to announce that Kia India will introduce its new product ‘KY’ in Q1 of 2022. With KY, we will be kick-starting our next India growth phase to consolidate our business and operations,” Park noted.

Noting high demand for a practical and aspirational family car with advanced futuristic technologies, Kia has designed the KY MPV – which will be smaller than the Carnival and closer to the Seltos in terms of size – to combine the roominess of a multi-purpose vehicle with the road presence of an SUV, and reckons it will create a segment that does not exist today.

“We will focus to address the unmet need for an innovative, inspiring experience in family commuting with KY. Simply put, we don’t just intend to launch a six- or seven-seater but we want to create a new segment that does not exist. KY is going to be a game-changer in the segment,” Park stated.

“India is a very important market for Kia globally, not only sales volume wise, but it also has the potential to be a production and global research and development hub,” Kia India MD and CEO Tae-Jin Park told reporters in an event here.

The company has already received very good response for Seltos, Sonet and Carnival in the country, he noted.

Kia has become the fastest player in the Indian automotive industry to cross the three-lakh cumulative sales mark in less than two years of commencing operations in the country. The company achieved the milestone in July this year.