Kia India has released the first teaser of its upcoming SUV, likely to be named the Clavis. The SUV is expected to debut in early 2025.
Positioned between the Seltos and Sonet, the new SUV will be the first India-made SUV to embody Kia’s Design 2.0 philosophy.
According to Kia, this upcoming model draws design cues from both the EV9 and Carnival Limousine, aiming to deliver “unique lounge-style premium interiors with futuristic features and an innovative seating layout.”
Kia compact SUV: Design highlights
The sketches reveal a boxy silhouette with a Carnival-inspired vertical design upfront. As seen in the spy shots earlier, the profile of the Clavis is very boxy with tall pillars and a flat roofline. While the rear sports a prominent L-shaped tail lamp setup.The other notable visual highlight are the roof rails, which look functional.
Gwanggu Lee, MD & CEO, Kia India, said, “The all-new Kia 2.0 SUV embodies our perennial commitment to break conventions with innovation, design excellence, and customer-centricity with our products. This SUV has been indigenously designed with inspiration from the unrealized needs of Indian customers. It has a unique, progressive SUV design language that doesn’t follow the conventional SUV design anymore. This SUV is designed to delight customers with its segment-first features, exceptional performance, and unparalleled comfort. We are confident that it will resonate with discerning Indian buyers who demand the best.”
Competition in the Indian market
The upcoming compact SUV will be positioned above the existing crop of sub-4m SUVs, like the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Maruti Brezza, and also the recently launched Skoda Kylaq.
Skoda 
Maruti Suzuki 
BMW 
Hyundai