Korean carmaker Kia has crossed a vital milestone in its India journey. The one millionth Kia passenger vehicle produced at the company’s plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, has rolled off the production line. It is unlikely to be a coincidence that the milestone vehicle happens to be the first customer unit of the facelifted Kia Seltos, with the refreshed compact SUV having made its India debut just a few days ago. Kia conducted a rollout ceremony for this particular unit, with the event witnessing attendance from prominent figures from the Andhra Pradesh government.
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Kia began its India innings in 2019 with the Seltos compact SUV.
In its statement, Kia confirmed that more than half of the one million vehicles produced at the Anantapur plant were units of the Seltos. It was the Seltos that kickstarted Kia’s India innings in 2019, and over 5.30 lakh units of the compact SUV have been produced in less than four years. The carmaker followed the compact SUV up with three other models – the Carnival MPV (14,584 units produced), Sonet sub-compact SUV (over 3.32 lakh units produced) and the Carens MPV (over 1.20 lakh units produced). Currently, it is the Sonet that is Kia’s best-selling vehicle in terms of outright volume, and the Carnival has been discontinued, which means its current India portfolio comprises just three locally-made products, and the fully-imported Kia EV6 electric crossover.
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Kia says that from the over 10 lakh dispatches from its Anantapur plant (which has an annual production capacity of 3 lakh units), more than 7.5 lakh units have been for domestic consumption, and nearly 2.5 lakh units have been exported in less than four years.
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Over 3.32 lakh units of the Sonet sub-compact SUV have been manufactured in India till date.
Unveiling the 1 millionth car, Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India, said, “This is a big moment for us, our employees, and our partners who have lived and supported our journey and helped us in making Kia an integral part of the Indian consumer’s lives today. We are extremely grateful for their support and the love of our customers. I feel that the future is bright for Kia India, and the new Seltos marks the beginning of an exhilarating chapter as we continue to drive towards automotive excellence in the Indian market. We will remain dedicated to driving innovation, pushing boundaries, and shaping the future of mobility in India."
While the company’s immediate attention is on the Seltos (deliveries of which are set to begin in August), it is also readying the all-electric EV9 SUV for an India launch in 2024. Additionally, it is understood that Kia is also gearing up to introduce a facelift for the Sonet in the coming months, and may also roll out the new Carnival some time next year. In 2025, Kia plans to launch an India-inspired ‘RV’ that will be its first, locally-built electric vehicle.
