SPY PICS: Kia Tusker for Oz?
Kia is testing another sub-Sportage SUV, tipped to be branded 'Tusker'These spy photos snapped recently in unremittingly wintry conditions show what is suspected to be Kia's next foray into the sub-Sportage market segment, where it will compete with Hyundai's Kona, Mitsubishi's Eclipse Cross and Toyota's C-HR.
But hang on. Didn't we recently publish a spy-pics story featuring a purported sub-Sportage Kia SUV intended to compete in the same market as the Hyundai Kona, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and Toyota C-HR?
Well, yes we did – but there appear to be significant differences between the two surreptitiously-snapped test mules: Simply, though both are reputedly from Kia, they don't really appear to be related in any visual way, particularly where the body structure is concerned.
The first car, clearly based on the Kia Cee'd small passenger car, probably rates as a blatantly-reworked regular hatchback, jacked up to give it a more adventurous stance than its road-only donor model. It's the pure definition of a crossover and is expected to be dubbed XCeed.
The second test mule, also a Kia, is clearly based on the also sub-Sportage SP Concept first unveiled in India in late 2018 as a gap-filler in the emergent Korean company's product lineup.
But that begs the question: Taking a leaf out of Ford's book, with the upcoming Focus-based Active crossover and its all-new Escape SUV expected to sell in parallel, will Kia market the two small SUVs together in select markets, or will the company deploy them separately, for different markets?
Certainly, offering both models together wouldn't be exceptional, by any means. Mazda's similar-size CX-8 and CX-9 SUVs are one example of that process in action (the principal differentiator there being that the CX-8 is diesel-only and the CX-9 is petrol-only). And Mazda's upcoming CX-4 is another example, fitting within the relatively narrow gap left between the CX-3 and CX-5.
Perhaps the only clue as to why the Kia XCeed and Kia Tusker might co-exist is the claim by some industry observers that the latter's platform leaves space for a seven-seater – something clearly out of reach for the Cee'd-based crossover. Although how such a variant would fit with the five-seat Sportage is a matter of conjecture.
None of that appears to be affecting the reasoning of industry observers: Although carsales.com.au has reported in the past that Kia's Australian arm is making no secret of its hopes that a small-segment, sub-Sportage model will come here, it now seems a question of which sub-Sportage SUV it might be.
Considering the differing philosophies behind the Kia XCeed and the Kia Tusker, could the latter be a more fitting choice?
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
