Platform sharing has been going on between Hyundai and Kia for a long time. Even though they are similar underneath, both the Hyundai and Kia versions have maintained different equipment, design, dimensions and features list as these companies like to make their respective versions different and in line with their ethos and family DNA.
That said, badge-engineering isn’t something we’re familiar with from Hyundai and Kia and it was interesting to see it in action. We’re talking about the recently unveiled Hyundai Nira electric MPV, which is a badge-engineered version of the Kia Carens Clavis EV with minimal changes to differentiate itself.
Hyundai Nira vs Kia Clavis EV
At the 2026 GIIAS event held in Indonesia, Hyundai unveiled its new electric MPV named Neira. It is a badge-engineered version of the Kia Carens Clavis EV and the Hyundai Nira is also expected to arrive in the Indian market. Currently, the Hyundai Nira has been unveiled as a prototype for the Indonesian market without any confirmation for the Indian market.
At the same 2026 GIIAS event, the Kia Carens Clavis EV was also showcased. In Indra Phathan’s pictures, we can see a detailed comparison between both the vehicles at similar angles. These photos give us an idea of how similar or similar these vehicles are. The first thing we noticed is that the Nira has more chrome than the Clavis EV, but it lacks fog lights, which the Kia offers.
From these photos, we can see that the front bumper is completely new, sporting a new fascia. For a unique look, there are horizontal slots on the front grille, which remind us of the grille of the Alcazar. There is a large silver bull-bar like element at the front. On the side, we can see the unique alloy wheel design and then slightly distinct silver elements on the side body cladding.
At the rear, we can see slightly distinct silver elements in the rear bumper to establish visual distinction. Apart from this, there is no difference between Hyundai Neira and Kia Carens Clavis EV. The silhouette, connected LED headlights, connected LED tail lights, ORVMs, window area, sheet metal and other features remain the same.
similar interior
On the inside, both the Hyundai Nira and Kia Carens Clavis EV share the same dashboard, steering wheel, floating center console, gear selector, climate control panel, infotainment screen, TFT instrument cluster, seating layout, even seat cushioning, manual boss mode and other features.
The Kia logo on the steering wheel has been replaced by Hyundai’s quad dot logo. The Kia Carens Clavis EV showcased at the 2026 GIIAS has a light interior theme, while the Hyundai Nira has a black theme. Powertrain details for Indonesia have not been revealed yet, but it is expected to get the same 42 kWh and 51.4 kWh battery options with a range of up to 490 km on a single charge.
