Kia SP-based SUV Price Range Revealed; Launch Before Diwali 2019

Kia's SP concept-based SUV might be called the Trazor or Tusker and will go up against the likes of Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster

• Kia's debut product in India, the SP concept-based SUV, is expected to get the Hyundai Creta's engines.

• The brand has confirmed that the SUV will be priced in the range of Rs 10-16 lakh (ex-showroom).

• Production will begin at Kia's upcoming manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh by mid-2019.

Update: Kia has announced the name of the India-spec SP2i ahead of the June 20 unveil. It is called Seltos. Read more on this here.

Kia Motors India has revealed more information about its upcoming SUV, which will be based on the SP concept showcased at 2018 Auto Expo. While we already knew that the Hyundai Creta and Nissan Kicks rival will be the first product from Kia Motor India, the Hyundai subsidiary has now hinted at the expected price range of the compact SUV.

Kia has revealed that it wants to price the SP concept-based SUV competitively, starting from somewhere around the Rs 10 lakh mark, going up to Rs 16 lakh (ex-showroom). There are two names that are the frontrunners for the production-spec vehicle - Trazor or Tusker.

Kia has confirmed both petrol and diesel engines for the SP2i (codename). Both the 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines are expected to be borrowed from its cousin, the Hyundai Creta. While the petrol unit in the Creta develops 123PS/151Nm, the diesel motor is good for 128PS/260Nm. The engines are expected to be easily upgradable to comply with BSVI norms, when they are implemented in 2020. A plug-in hybrid variant of the SUV is also expected to arrive at a later stage.

Kia is known globally for the out of the box designs of their cars. Although the SP Concept is not the most radical design from the South Korean carmaker, it undoubtedly is a head turner. However, the SP Concept-based SUV that was spotted testing on public roads earlier this year seemed to have lost a bit of muscle. That said, the interiors are expected to be as feature-rich as its cousin, the Hyundai Creta.

Currently, the South Korean manufacturer is busy setting up its plant in Andhra Pradesh and expects to start production by mid-2019. Once launched, the SP concept-based SUV will go up against the Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks, upcoming second-gen Renault Duster and the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross. Which one would you pick? Let us know in the comments below.