Auto Expo 2020: Kia QYi compact SUV concept sketches teased ahead of debut

Team OD Updated: February 05, 2020, 01:06 PM IST

Kia Motors India has revealed teaser images of its next product for India, a sub-four metre SUV, that is set to debut in concept form at the 2020 Auto Expo. These images are of the said concept and come just after bookings have begun for the Kia carnival MPV.

The styling of the concept stays true to what we have anticipated from spotting the test mules that have been doing the rounds recently. There are numerous references to the Seltos as well. This is apparent with a similar but even-more exaggerated Tiger-Nose grille. The bonnet is of a clamshell-type and protrudes outwards before merging with the concave grille. The two-part headlamp treatment from the Seltos has been simplified into a rectangular, sweptback shape, although the LED DRL is quite similar to that found on the Seltos's lower trims. The chunky bumper with the large air dam and square-ish inlets are expected to be toned down heavily in production form. The side profile is dominated by the exaggerated wheel arches, again something that will be reworked for production although the simple upswept glass-house is a signature Kia design trait.

Moving to the rear, the wide rear windscreen which ends deep into the C-Pillar is a unique touch. The taillamps are again sharp, rectangular elements that get a single piece LED light-bar, again a riff on the Seltos' front LED signature and a design element seen on the latest Hyundai-Kia cars globally. Much like the concave theme to the front, the boot lid too gets a similar shape. The concept is shod with oversized alloy wheels that are far from production-spec. We think there might be a sporty GT-Line trim in the works too, given the red-accents that dot this concept.

The Kia compact SUV is expected to be based on the same platform as the Venue but with a different state of tune for the suspension and other components. We expect the same engines and transmissions as the Venue to be made available here. The Venue SUV gets two petrol and one diesel engines which are mated to two manual and one dual-clutch automatic transmission in various permutations. One of the petrols, is the new Kappa T-GDI 1.0-litre turbo. This 3-cylinder motor makes 120PS and 172Nm. The other petrol motor, for lower-spec cars, is the 1.2-litre petrol with 83PS and 116Nm, as seen on various Hyundai cars in India. The single diesel option is the 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel motor which puts out 90PS and 220Nm, paired with a 6-speed manual. Like with the Seltos, the turbo-petrol/DCT combination is expected to get the GT-Line treatment, with these being the top-spec models.

Kia interior for reference

The interiors of this concept haven't been shown but we expect it'll carry forward a similar feature set as the Venue but with some segment-first additions like a 360-degree camera, etc. But the design elements will carry a more Kia focussed theme with the different materials and finishes. We expect the same set of engines and transmissions to carry over.

The Kia QYi is one of six to eight cars Kia Motors wants to launch in the Indian market over the next three years. The production version of this compact SUV will launch in the latter half of 2020, sometime around the festive season.