Kia Grand Carnival to launch in India at Auto Expo 2020

- The India-spec Kia Grand Carnival facelift will debut at next year’s Auto Expo.

- It is likely to be priced around Rs 25 lakhs (ex-showroom).

- The Grand Carnival will initially be assembled in India.

Even as Kia Motors India is all set to launch the Seltos on 22 August, we can confirm that the company’s second product for India will be the Kia Grand Carnival MPV. What's more, the premium MPV will be launched in India at the Auto Expo 2020. The Grand Carnival will be a halo product and will serve as a brand builder for Kia in India.

Sources tell us that every Kia car to be launched in India will be an all-new or a facelift model, and the company is working on the Grand Carnival facelift for the Indian market. Also known as the Kia Sedona in some international markets, the third-generation Grand Carnival was introduced globally in 2015. So, a facelift is due, and what better way than to introduce it first in India.

The Kia Grand Carnival will be positioned as a premium MPV that will sit above the Toyota Innova Crysta. And the company is considering a price tag of around Rs 25 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the premium MPV. The source also reveals that the India-spec Grand Carnival is likely to come in a single top-spec trim. Internationally, it is available with a seating configuration of up to 11 seats, but the Indian model will come as a seven-seat variant with individual captain seats in the second row.

Further, the India-bound Kia Grand Carnival will initially be imported via the CKD route, and assembled in India. But Kia is looking at manufacturing it locally if the demand is right, and also make use of its plant’s capacity.

Under the hood, the Grand Carnival is likely to be powered by a 2.2-litre CRDi diesel motor that pumps out 202bhp and 441Nm. It will come mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Internationally, it is also available with a 3.3-litre V6 petrol motor, but the chances of it making to India are slim.