Clavis petrol will debut by late 2024, and electric version will follow six months later.
The sub-4m SUV category is one of the most popular and competitive segments in the market, which is why despite having the Sonet, Kia will be taking another shot at this space with the upcoming Clavis SUV.
The Clavis will be positioned in between the Sonet and the Seltos in the company’s line-up, and will be a more of a lifestyle offering. Expected to globally debut later this year and go on sale in early 2025, the Clavis has once again been spied testing on roads abroad.
- Will have an upright stance with rugged design elements
- Expect it to well-equipped with premium positioning
- Hybrid powertrain could be on the cards as well
Kia Clavis: what to expect?
The spied test mule is heavily camouflaged, but first impressions are of a tall and upright SUV with high ground clearance and rugged design elements such as beefy body cladding and roof rials. It will possibly be larger than the Hyundai Exter, and some parts visible through the camouflage hint at vertically-oriented headlamps and tail lamps, much like Kia’s newer crop of EVs. Other highlights include a large glass-house with kinked windows.
The interior of the Clavis has also been spied before – in typical Kia fashion, its expected to come well-equipped with features like a large touchscreen, ventilated seats, 360-degree camera, a sunroof and more. The Clavis will also likely be more spacious than the Sonet, and that should bode well with buyers who find the latter’s interior rather cramped.
Kia Clavis powertrain options
What will be most interesting about the Clavis is that it will be offered with both petrol and electric powertrains. Both versions will be based on the same platform, and even a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain could be on cards as well. All versions, however, will be front-wheel drive only – despite its rugged appeal, there will be no AWD variant on offer. We should have more specific technical details closer to its debut.
Kia Clavis expected launch and positioning
Sources tell us that the Clavis will debut in its ICE guide towards the end of 2024, and will go on sale early next year. The electric version will arrive six months after that. Being a sub-4m SUV, the Clavis is being specifically developed for India which means it will be locally manufactured, although some will also be earmarked for exports. It should also have competitive pricing owing to localisation and its size, but expect a slight premium over the Sonet.
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