New Delhi: During the 2026 Kia CEO Investor Day event, Kia announced plans to expand its lineup to 10 models, eight of which would be electrified, including the Syros EV, Sorento hybrid, and Carnival hybrid. The models are expected to be on the Indian shores by 2030.
Kia, in their press statement, said, “In India, one of Kia’s core emerging markets, the strategy includes expanding its lineup to 10 models, offering eight electrified vehicles (xEVs), including the Syros EV, Sorento HEV, and Carnival HEV, and expanding the dealer network to 800 locations.”
The Sorento will be placed above the Seltos, coming as a three-row SUV to compete with the likes of the Mahindra XUV 7XO. A while back, it was reported in the media that Kia was making a three-row SUV codenamed MQ4i, which would come with a 1.5-litre hybrid petrol engine. The SUV would share the Sorento’s underpinnings, but it is yet to be seen if that would come with the Sorento nameplate and other features.
By the global spec, Sorento’s dimensions as a three-row SUV are going to be about 4.8 metres in length and with a wheelbase of about 2.8 metres. Its sister brand, Hyundai, too, is coming with a three-row SUV with similar underpinnings. Sorento is likely to be priced somewhere around Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom).
Kia Carnival Hybrid and Syros EV: What will they be like?
Kia Carnival hybrid will be arriving too (Image of US-spec Carnival hybrid for representation)
The present-gen of Carnical premium MPV has been in the Indian market since 2024 as a diesel version. Even though the specs for the India-bound Carnival hybrid aren’t known, the current generation MPV comes with a hybrid powertrain in the USA. It comes with a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine mated with a parallel hybrid engine.
The total power output is about 272 bhp and 367 Nm of torque, with the engine being paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. It isn’t known if this is what will arrive in India.
Kia will also bring the EV version of the Syros, expected sometime this year. It will be placed below the Carens Clavis, making the most affordable EV in the brand’s portfolio. There have been sightings of camouflaged test mules, and the design is going to be carried from the ICE-powered counterpart, though with certain EV-specific distinctions, of course.
It is likely to retain the same cabin setup as the ICE-powered sibling. The Syros EV sits on the K1 platform shared with the Hyundai Inster EV. While the powertrain isn’t known yet. The INster EV gets a 42kWh and 49kWh options with a claimed range of 369km. The Syros EV could likely fall in the price bracket of Rs 20 lakh and would be competing against the MG Windsor and Tata Nexon EV.
The brand also further said that it will localise production for these models and is targeting sales of 4.1 lakh units by 2030 with 7.6 per cent market share.