The Kia Clavis has been spotted yet again, revealing some of its key features and design elements. The Kia Clavis has been in testing under the codename AY and is expected to be a sub-4 meter crossover that will slot between the Sonet and the Seltos in Kia’s SUV portfolio.
The new spy shots are from Korea, where the AY has been spotted for the first time. The spy shots suggest that the Clavis will have a boxy and upright stance, similar to the Soul crossover that is sold in international markets. The Clavis will also sport a distinctive front fascia with vertically stacked LED headlamps, L-shaped LED DRLs, and a large air intake with skid plates. The rear end will feature connected LED tail lamps that resemble the new family of Kia SUVs.
The Clavis will also come with a host of features and technologies, such as a panoramic sunroof, 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, blacked-out ORVMs with cameras, 360-degree surround view camera, ventilated seats, electric parking brake with auto hold, wireless charging pad, and level 2 ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems). The ADAS will include features like adaptive cruise control, forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and more.
The Clavis will be offered with multiple powertrain options, including ICE (internal combustion engine), EV (electric vehicle), and hybrid. The ICE variants will likely use the same engines as the Sonet, which are a 1.2-litre petrol, a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol, and a 1.5-litre diesel. The EV variant will likely use a 99.8 kWh battery pack that can deliver a range of 450 km and a top speed of 190 kmph. The hybrid variant will likely use a 1.6-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor.
The Kia Clavis is expected to make its global debut by the end of 2024 and launch in India in early 2025. It will compete with other compact SUVs like the Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, and Ford EcoSport. The Clavis will be part of Kia’s 2.0 strategy, which aims to create new sub-segments and expand its market share in India.