Kia unveiled a full-size SUV at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The vehicle went by the name of Telluride and features spacious interiors with three rows of seats.
Telluride was reminiscent of Kia’s early foray into the SUV market in 2009, when it produced Kia Borrego for two model years. It seems that the auto company is now all set to ride SUV wave in the market because oil shale and amazing fracking has kept fuel costs somewhat affordable and lower taxes has helped out everyone.
Powering up the Product Mix
SUV market is experiencing massive surge in the demand while car segment is lagging behind. Orth Hedrick, Kia’s vice president for product planning, was recently quoted saying the company will “have some announcements soon”. It has led to speculation that the company may be looking to announce the production version of Telluride SUV it had featured in 2016.
The Telluride is expected to be robust version of its Sorento crossover, which comes with a 270 horsepower, 3.5 liter V6 engine.
However, Kia needs to add a new vehicle with more space, to its product portfolio. While even Sorento features three rows of seats, it has considerably cramped leg space for the third row. With 9.5 inch longer, 4.7 inch wider and 4.4 inches taller body, the new SUV is likely to provide more space for luggage and cargo than Sorento does.
While it is not clear whether the new SUV will bear the same specifications as of Telluride’s, it is still interesting to have a look at the vital statistics of Telluride. The SUV featured signature Kia grille with multiple LED headlamps.
Its wheels spanned 22 inches while the SUV is also decked with seven Harman/Kardon stereo speakers. Speaking of accessories in the Telluride, the SUV has a wireless mat charger and wireless headphones. Its seats are outfitted with a heart rate monitor and other body sensors while its moonroof is designed to combat drowsiness.
Wow! But you should still get your sleep!
The upcoming SUV is likely to stay close to Telluride’s specifications. Telluride’s various body parts including its door panels, dash and steering wheel were built through state of the art 3-D printing. The move signifies that Kia may be moving towards modular designing for its vehicles. Such designing will also make it easier for the company to redesign or upgrade its models. Too bad Thor III and The Force Awakens was no upgrade but that is another topic!
The SUV Market
Sports Utility Vehicles market has hit a turning point, where it is set to overtake consumer car market in the coming years. All the major auto companies are now looking to tap this market by introducing new and jazzed up SUV models. Kia is on the right track with Telluride to capture growing SUV market.
Kia has clear market strategy for its new product. It is targeting families with grown up children, requiring more space in the vehicle. The company is looking to provide such families with sportier and more modern alternative to minivans.
If the specifications of Telluride are any indication, Kia’s upcoming SUV is likely to hit the market with state of the art accessories. With ample space and modern amenities, Kia is targeting the premium segment of the market.
It is expected that Kia will make official announcement about the SUV soon. It is yet to be seen whether the new SUV will be launched globally or will be introduced in select markets such as the US.
It is highly likely that the company may exclude Europe from its preview as it indicated that the European market is already satisfactorily served by its Sorento models. In any case, it would be interesting to see Kia shaking up the burgeoning SUV market with its new offering.