Kia India has confirmed that the company has no plans to launch sedans in the country, and would instead focus on SUVs and MPVs. Speaking to the Indian media virtually, Tae-Jin Park, Executive Director and Chief Sales and Business Strategy Officer, Kia India said "We do not have any plans to bring sedans to the country. We are not considering this segment at all for India. We are clearly focusing on the SUV segment and the MPV segment for the Indian market." The information was shared during our virtual interaction with the company post the launch of its new corporate logo and brand strategy announcement.
Also Read: Kia To Launch A New SUV In India By 2022
Tae-Jin Park, Executive Director and Chief Sales and Business Strategy Officer, Kia India
The South Korean carmaker began its India operations in 2019, with the launch of the Kia Seltos, and in just about two years the company has already become the fourth largest selling brand in the country. And the major reason for it is the fact that the company current line-up includes two SUVs and one MPV. SUVs are in demand right now, and Kia wants to cash in on this growing trend. In fact, so far Kia has already sold over 2.5 lakh vehicles in India, and the company claims that every third model sold in the segment is a Seltos, whereas every sixth compact SUV sold in India is a Kia Sonet.
Also Read: 2021 Kia Seltos And Sonet Launch In May
Kia has already sold over 2.5 lakh vehicles in India, and the company claims that every third model sold in the segment is a Seltos.
The sedan segment, on the other hand, is currently seeing a major decline in demand overall. Brands like Toyota and Volkswagen have already discontinued their once-popular models Corolla Altis and Jetta, respectively. Maruti Suzuki Ciaz which was once the segment leader is now one of the poorest performing models in the company's line-up. While the Honda City is one exception, most brands are slowly shifting their focus towards SUVs. Even Skoda-led VW group has planned a range of new SUV for India this year.
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As for Kia, it is currently gearing up to launch the updated Seltos and Sonet models in the first week of May 2021. The carmaker has also announced that it will be entering a new segment in early 2022 with a new product, which we believe could be a 7-seater SUV to rival the likes of the Hyundai Alcazar, Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus.
