New Kia Carnival, EV9 India launch on October 3

1. Kia EV9 SUV will be sold as a CBU
2. Carnival MPV is also expected to be sold as a CBU initially
3. Deliveries of both models expected to commence by Diwali

​Kia Carnival will be priced above Rs 50 lakh in India

As reported by us earlier, the India-bound Carnival is the facelifted iteration of the one that was shown as the Kia KA4 at the last Auto Expo. Sources tell us that it will be fully imported initially, with local assembly to begin later. Prices for the fully imported Carnival in India are expected to start around Rs 50 lakh. At this price point, it will have no direct rivals, as the Innova Hycross tops out at around Rs 30 lakh, while the Toyota Vellfire starts at Rs 1.22 crore (ex-showroom).

India is expected to get the Carnival with a 2.2-litre diesel engine. Internationally, the MPV also gets a 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid and a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine.   

The Carnival is loaded with a long list of features and creature comforts. It has dual 12.3-inch displays, front and rear dash cameras, a head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, an updated digital key with fingerprint recognition, and ambient lighting along the dashboard. It offers multiple seating layouts, including a 7-, 9- and 11-seater setup, but there's no update on which will be available in India. Kia dealers are expecting deliveries to commence before Diwali.

EV9 will be the most expensive Kia in India

The EV9 electric SUV sits at the top of the Kia line-up globally and things won’t be different for India. The fully imported, three-row SUV is built on a born-electric e-GMP flexible skateboard platform, that also underpins multiple Hyundai and Kia models including the Kia EV6 electric hatchback.

The EV9 is a properly upright SUV with a clearly defined two-box design. It gets a bold exterior design with cues that look similar to other newer Kia models being sold overseas such as the EV3 and the EV5. Internationally, the EV9 offers three powertrain options: two single-motor RWD and one AWD variant with a dual-motor setup.

The EV9 will have a similar price point as the BMW iX, which means it will be above Rs 1 crore (Ex-showroom).