GIIAS 2026: Hyundai Neira Prototype Revealed; Electric MPV Coming To India?

Hyundai has announced some big plans for India, with as many as 26 new models expected till FY2030, and even its luxury arm Genesis set to make a debut. However, while it has become one of the largest carmakers in India, the brand has never had an MPV on sale, and the recently-unveiled Neira Prototype at the GIIAS 2026 auto show may just be its first one. While a lot of details, including about an India launch, remain unclear, let’s take a closer look at what the Neira is like:

Styled Like A Hyundai

While its styling makes it quite clear that the Neira Prototype is based on the Kia Carens Clavis EV that we get to see in India, there are some design differences to give it the ‘Hyundai’ personality.

Upfront, it retains the clamshell bonnet, triangular LED headlamps and connected LED DRL setup from its Kia cousin, but Hyundai has added chunky silver cladding to give it a tougher look, which could translate to better road presence.

There’s also a unique textured pattern, where the Carens Clavis EV features a blanked-off grille and a silver skid plate at the bottom too. 

You’d be hard-pressed to tell the MPVs apart from the sides too, as they both have the same proportions and share most of the design as well. The Hyundai, however, features snazzier alloy wheels, chrome door handles and silver garnish on door cladding as distinct embellishments.

The rear-end of the Neira Prototype also carries over the same clear-lens connected LED taillamp cluster, a flat tailgate profile with registration plate recess and a sporty rear spoiler. It changes things up a bit though with a different bumper that gets a silver skid plate.

Overall, it isn’t a complete redesign, but it is not a simple copy-paste either. Also, do note that the Neira is just a Prototype for now and the final production version could see more changes; it also remains unclear if the Indian version (in case that it is launched here) will also be identical-looking to the Indonesian version.

Practical, Spacious And Versatile

Unlike the exterior, the interior of the Neira Prototype is a direct copy-paste from the Kia, save for Hyundai’s ‘morse-code’ steering wheel logo and all-black theme. That’s not a particularly bad thing though, with the Carens Clavis EV’s practicality, versatility and comfort being one of the best you can find at its price point, as we got to know in our time living with one.

Exact feature specifications are still under wraps, and could change by the time the production version surfaces, but we can see some niceties inside like a panoramic sunroof, slide and recline function for the second row, dual 12.3-inch screens up front and automatic climate control.

Powertrain Options Likely To Remain Unchanged

If (and it’s a big one), the production Neira were to make it to India, it could likely be powered by the Hyundai-Kia group’s 42 kWh and 51.4 kWh powertrain options that we’ve seen in various models like the Creta Electric and even the recently-launched Syros EV. These are the figures that the same powertrains deliver in the Carens Clavis EV:

India Launch Remains Unconfirmed

An electric MPV does figure out in Hyundai India’s future strategy, but it is yet unclear if the Neira could be it. For one, it is currently just a prototype, and you can expect changes in the Indonesian production version. Even then, details for an India launch remain bleak. 

In the event that it does make its way to our shores, the Neira (or its equivalent) could be priced similarly to the Kia Carens Clavis EV that retails in the range of Rs 18 lakh to Rs 25 lakh (ex-showroom), and compete with 7-seater EVs like the VinFast VF MPV 7, the Mahindra XEV 9S and the upcoming Tata Safari EV.