Kia showcases 3 models to prospective dealers

Kia Motors is holding a "Dealer Roadshow" across India in an attempt to connect with prospective dealers. The first stop for this roadshow was Delhi, where the company displayed 3 cars from its international portfolio - Picanto, Cerato and Sportage. The roadshow will cover major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata in the coming weeks.

The Kia Picanto is a small 4-door hatchback. In the European market, the car is offered with a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine with 66 BHP on tap and a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder petrol unit that makes 83 BHP. The car is available with a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Cerato, which was the second car on display, is a mid-size sedan that rivals the Toyota Corolla Altis, Skoda Octavia and other cars in the D1 segment. It is available with a choice of by 2.0 or 1.6-litre petrol engines or a 1.6-litre diesel. The range of transmissions on offer with the Cerato include 6-speed manual and automatic gearboxes and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The third car on display was a Sportage - an SUV that is about the size of a Hyundai Tucson. It is available with 2.4 and 2.0-litre petrol engines as well as a 2.0-litre diesel unit. The car is available with 6-speed automatic or manual transmissions.

Although, Kia Motors has not confirmed its model line-up for India, it is believed that the first product to be launched would be a mid-sized SUV. 

Kia Motors plans to invest Rs. 12,750 crore in its India operations over the next two years. A new manufacturing facility is being set up in Andhra Pradesh and is expected to commence operations by 2019. Kia is also looking at setting up a local supplier base to lower production costs.

Source: Gaadiwaadi