The upcoming Kia Clavis compact SUV was seen testing in India in the latest spy media. Clavis was initially thought of as the counterpart to Hyundai Exter. Generally, Hyundai and Kia have the same portfolio in each segment. At present, there is no Kia car in the Exter category. However, we are now led to believe that the Clavis might be closer to the Sonet in terms of dimensions rather than Exter. That will be an interesting way to position it. Also, it electric avatar will rival the Nexon EV. Let us take a look at the details of this case.
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Kia Clavis Spotted in India – Expected Launch Date & Price
The latest spy media captures the heavily camouflaged vehicle amidst a busy road. The exact location of this spotting is not clear. Still, there are a few elements that we see in this video clip. For starters, there are vertically oriented LED DRLs on the extreme edges of the sporty bumper. Then there are also vertical LED headlamps around the DRLs. The bonnet is upright and the grille section looks broad. Apart from that, there are alloy wheels with a covering. At the rear, we witness C-pillar-mounted LED taillamps, roof rails and a tall stance. Hence, there are SUV-ish elements to accentuate the road presence.
Until now, there are no clear indications of the release date. However, we expect it to make it to the showroom floors by the end of this year (2024) or the beginning of the next year (2025). That will make things really interesting in the compact SUV segment in our market. There are already tons of players in and around this category. With yet another promising SUV in this segment, the buyers will definitely be spoilt for choice. That is a great thing for the potential customers and will push the carmakers to offer the best they can at the most aggressive price points. In its electric avatar, the Clavis could have prices which overlap with the Seltos.
| Price | Kia Seltos |
| Base Model | Rs 10.90 lakh |
| Top Model | Rs 20.35 lakh |
Specs & Features
There are various reports online suggesting that the Clavis will come with an electric, as well as an ICE powertrain. In that manner, Kia will be future-ready with a mass-market product in the ICE and electric segments of our country. In the ICE guise, it could borrow powertrain options from the Seltos along with the transmission. This could include the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 1.5-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. In the Sonet, these produce 115 PS / 144 Nm, 160 PS / 253 Nm and 115 PS / 250 Nm of peak power and torque, respectively. What’s even more interesting is the fact that there are all sorts of gearbox options including manual and automatic. However, there are no details about the specifications of the electric model. Nevertheless, we are certain that we will get to know more about this SUV in the near future.
| Specs | Kia Seltos |
| Engine | 1.5L (P), 1.5L (Turbo P) & 1.5L (D) |
| Power | 115 PS / 160 PS / 115 PS |
| Torque | 144 Nm / 253 Nm / 250 Nm |
| Transmission | 6MT, iMT, 6AT, 7-DCT |
We know that Kia offers some of the most premium features in every car it sells. In fact, it prides itself on offering affordable luxury to consumers. We have seen this with the Sonet, Seltos, Carens, and, of course, the Carnival. The interior of the Clavis was recently spied from its native market of South Korea. Hence, while the official features list is not public yet, we can make out some key amenities which should be on offer. This includes things like a large touchscreen infotainment display, ventilated seats, a 360-degree camera, an electric sunroof, connected car tech, automatic climate control, a digital instrument cluster, a sunroof and more safety features. In essence, we can expect tons of segment-first offerings, something Kia cars have always boasted in the past.
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Author’s Note
Kia is the most successful foreign carmaker in India in terms of cumulative lifetime sales within a specific duration of time. That is a testament to the fact that it studied the Indian market closely. Obviously, the experience of Hyundai has helped it with great insights into the consumer mindset of Indians. Hence, it has captured the Indian market in almost every category it operates. Going forward, the signs look positive. Its Sonet and Seltos continue to be among the best-sellers in their respective segments. Also, its EV6 premium electric car has been an instant success. Now, we are awaiting the EV9 7-seater premium SUV. With the Clavis, Kia’s portfolio will expand further to make it accessible to a whole new range of potential buyers. Let us see how well the customers embrace its future models.
