Kia India has reached a significant milestone, achieving 1 million unit sales in the domestic market within 59 months of its operations in the country. This achievement highlights Kia’s rapid growth since its entry into the Indian market in 2019, with the Seltos model playing a major role, contributing to nearly half of the company’s total sales. The Sonet and Carens models have also contributed significantly to the company’s success, accounting for 34% and 16% of sales.
Since its launch, Kia India has made a notable impact on the Indian automotive industry, introducing technology and design that have appealed to a wide range of customers. 42% of the company’s sales come from its top trims, challenging the notion that India is primarily a cost-sensitive market. Kia’s strategy has also encouraged the adoption of automatic and newer transmission technologies, with automatic transmissions making up 32% of their total sales, and the Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) introduced with the Sonet in 2020 contributing 15%.
Kia India’s current petrol-to-diesel sales ratio stands at 59% to 41%. Commenting on the milestone, Mr. Joonsu Cho, Chief Sales Officer of Kia India, acknowledged the challenges of the Indian market and the competition from more established players, emphasizing that the achievement reflects Kia’s commitment to meeting the needs of Indian customers. He noted that Kia’s focus on innovation is a driving force behind their global and domestic strategies, with plans to introduce more models in the Indian market later this year.
The company’s growth is reflected in its expanding sales figures, starting with 45,226 units sold in 2019 and reaching 2,55,000 units in 2023. In the first seven months of 2024, Kia has sold nearly 1.5 lakh units domestically, indicating strong momentum ahead of the festive season. Kia India’s presence has expanded across the country, with a network of 588 touchpoints in 256 cities.
In addition to its domestic achievements, Kia India plays a significant role in exports, having dispatched over 2.6 lakh units to more than 100 markets globally. The company’s cumulative sales, including exports, are approaching 1.3 million units.
