Kia Motors’ much awaited compact sports utility vehicle will be launched before September this year, but the build up to the first model from the Korean brand has already begun in earnest. What you see here are the first official sketches of the yet to be named SUV based on the SP2 Concept that Kia showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo.
The sketches released by Kia last night show off what promises to be a model that is very close to the concept in its overall design. Even in terms of some of the features and smaller elements like the LED array for the headlamps and the dual exhaust pipes there is a lot that seems to have been carried forward from the original brief. The sketches show an exaggerated haunch and over tapered side profile, which is unlikely to be the final version’s build. But the sketches reveal that the final production version of the SP2 will be a modern, aggressive SUV that stands out amongst the current crop of vehicles in the segment.
The front fascia seems likely to be the most aggressive angle with its trademark Tiger’s nose being reinterpreted for this model, one that has been specially developed for the Indian market. A Kia Motors communique says that the robust design character of a traditional SUV co-exists with sophisticated exterior design details, such as its long hood, a strong, sophisticated character line on the front bumper, and sharp lines pressed into the bodywork. Its strong shoulder line, matched with a glasshouse which tapers towards the rear of the car, as well as rear bumper with a metallic muffler effect, lends the compact SUV an air of understated sportiness.
The new compact SUV shares its platform with the Hyundai Creta. The Kia release says that the SUV brings a sense of luxury to its exterior design with LED headlamps which extend over the radiator grille. The lamps feature a three-dimensional light graphic and a highly technical diamond pattern at their trailing edges. The same design is also echoed in the rear LED lamps. The compact SUV will be manufactured at Kia Motors’ plant located in Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.