Kia India currently offers four utility vehicles (UVs) in its product lineup, namely, Sonet, Seltos, Carens, and EV6. The South Korean automaker plans to sell 100,000 units of its highly popular Sonet subcompact and Seltos midsize SUVs in the current fiscal year. Additionally, Kia will launch the new Carnival MPV (available in 4/7/9-seater configurations) and the EV9 electric SUV (6/7-seater) in the second half of 2024. Here’re the key details of the upcoming Kia 7-seater UVs.
2024 Kia Carnival Facelift
The updated Carnival will feature significant cosmetic changes and interior upgrades in India. This MPV will have a more upright front design, a wide grille with chrome accents, L-shaped headlamps with daytime running lights (DRLs), and a slightly revised front bumper with a small air intake bordered by a faux brushed aluminum skid plate. The rear section will be revised with L-shaped taillamps and a matte black bumper with chrome accents. The 2024 Kia Carnival will come equipped with 19-inch alloy wheels, similar to those found on the EV5 and EV9.
One of its new features will be a curved infotainment system across the driver’s side of the dashboard, featuring dual 12.3-inch screens. Below the central screen, there will be revised air conditioning and audio controls. Other new features will include front and rear dash cameras, a rotary drive selector, a digital rearview mirror, a head-up display (HUD), ambient lighting, and an updated digital key. The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) suite will be updated with addition of the lane change assist and adaptive cruise control. The updated Carnival is offered globally with three powertrains: a 3.5-liter petrol engine, a 1.6-liter petrol hybrid, and a 2.2-liter diesel engine. Specifications for the India-spec model have not yet been disclosed.
Kia EV9
The Kia EV9 electric SUV will be a part of Kia’s 2.0 transformation strategy, arriving in India as a fully imported vehicle to compete with EVs from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. In Kia’s product lineup, the EV9 will be positioned above the EV6. The EV9 will be built on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and will include advanced technology such as a Level 3 ADAS suite, a 12.3-inch driver display, a 5.3-inch climate control screen, over-the-air (OTA) updates, wireless smartphone connectivity, wireless phone charging, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, USB-C ports, ambient lighting, fingerprint recognition, heated and ventilated front and second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, a height-adjustable smart power tailgate, three-zone climate control, and multiple airbags.
In global markets, the Kia EV9 offers three powertrain options: a 76.1 kWh battery with rear-wheel drive (RWD), a 99.8 kWh battery with RWD, and a top-end version with dual electric motors and all-wheel drive (AWD). It supports both fixed and portable charging options and includes vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality via an integrated charging control unit.
