Kia's Two New SUVs For India: Plugging The Syros-Seltos-Sorento Gaps By 2028
Kia India is evaluating two additional SUVs to slot into gaps in its portfolio, one between the Syros and Seltos in the B-segment and another between the Seltos and Sorento in the C-segment. Autocar India reports both models are being studied for launch around 2028-29, alongside the already-confirmed hybrids and next-gen Sonet.
What was announced
According to Autocar India, Kia is studying two additional SUVs for the Indian market to sit alongside its existing and upcoming lineup. The gaps in question have opened up because the new-generation Seltos has moved upmarket, leaving daylight between it and the smaller Syros, and because the Sorento sits well above the Seltos with nothing in between.
Kia has spotted the two segments where Maruti and Hyundai currently print money without a Korean rival, and it wants in before 2029.
The current Kia India pricing ladder frames the opportunity clearly.
| Model | Price (ex-showroom) | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Syros | Rs 8.42-15 lakh | Sub-4m compact SUV |
| New B-segment SUV | Not announced | Around 4.2m, slots above Syros |
| Seltos | Rs 10.99-21.82 lakh | Midsize SUV, moved upmarket |
| New C-segment SUV | Not announced | Between Seltos and Sorento |
| Sorento | Premium three-row | Top of Kia's India range |
Launch window for the two new models is indicated as 2028-29. Kia has not officially confirmed either project.
The B-segment SUV is expected to measure around 4.2 metres, mirroring Hyundai's plan to run the Creta alongside a Bayon-based SUV. The C-segment model would give Kia a rival to the likes of the Toyota Hyryder's larger siblings and the Skoda Kodiaq's lower end, without cannibalising Sorento buyers.
The Car Jury verdict
The strategy is sound. Kia's current ladder has real gaps, and a 4.2-metre B-SUV priced around Rs 12-15 lakh would attack exactly where Hyundai will place the Bayon-based SUV and where Maruti already prints money with the Brezza and Grand Vitara. As Biturbo Media puts it, "there was a time when almost everyone's first car was a Maruti"; Kia wants that first-car buyer before Maruti locks them in.
For buyers, the read is simple. If you need a compact SUV now, the Sonet and Seltos are both BUY-rated and do not need waiting out to 2028. If you are eyeing the Creta segment, our current call is WAIT, and Kia's incoming C-segment SUV only strengthens that case. Two more years of choice is coming.
