Kia Motors India, a subsidiary of South Korea's Kia Corporation, entered the Indian market in 2019. It made an immediate impact with the launch of its first model, the Kia Seltos, which became a bestseller due to its stylish design, advanced features, and competitive pricing. This success established Kia as a strong player in India's fast-growing SUV segment. Today, Kia is one of the fastest-growing car brands in India. It ranks among the top automakers in the country, particularly excelling in the SUV and MPV segments. With a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Kia is well-positioned for further expansion, including future electric vehicle (EV) offerings for the Indian market.

<p>At New Delhi, 28th February 2024: Frost &amp; Sullivan, India’s leading growth advisory firm, has revealed in its latest Total Cost of Ownership Benchmark report that Kia’s top-selling models, the Seltos and Carens, offer the lowest maintenance costs in their segments for both petrol and diesel variants. The study highlights that the Kia Carens leads the family vehicle category, boasting 21% lower maintenance costs for petrol variants and 26% lower for diesel compared to segment averages. Its diesel models also have the lowest acquisition cost, delivering excellent value for modern consumers. In addition, the Carens Diesel ranks highly for fuel efficiency, making it one of the top family car options with a strong value proposition.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The report also notes that Kia’s Seltos has the lowest maintenance costs for petrol variants, providing at least 17% savings compared to the industry average. Its diesel variants share the lowest maintenance costs with another segment leader, while the overall total cost of ownership (TCO) places the Seltos as the second-best for diesel variants and third-best for petrol variants in its segment.</p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://ick1.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/small-ICK-1727841873598-kia-carens-2024-news-exterior.jpg"><div><div style="position:relative; padding-bottom:100%; height:0 box-sizing:border-box"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=e467a950ace47c08a3e46b&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fick1.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fsmall-ICK-1727841873598-kia-carens-2024-news-exterior.jpg" frameborder="0" style="position:absolute; width:100%; height:100%; top:0; left:0"></iframe></div></div></div></figure><p>Additionally, in December 2023, Frost &amp; Sullivan recognized the Kia Sonet for having the best maintenance costs in the Compact SUV segment, with 16% lower costs for petrol variants and 14% lower for diesel variants compared to the segment average.</p><p>Hardeep Singh Brar, National Head of Sales &amp; Marketing for Kia India, expressed pride in Frost &amp; Sullivan’s recognition, stating, “Choosing a Kia is not only a smart decision for today but an investment for the future, given its premium quality, unmatched maintenance, and residual costs within its segments.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>These findings reinforce Kia’s reputation for offering some of the best value-for-money products, combining cutting-edge technology, design, and globally acclaimed aftersales service, making them an appealing choice for consumers.</p><p>About Kia India: In April 2017, Kia India signed an MOU with the Andhra Pradesh State Government to establish a manufacturing facility in Anantapur District. Mass production began in August 2019, with an annual capacity of 300,000 units. As of April 2021, Kia India rebranded with the motto "Movement that Inspires," focusing on creating meaningful customer experiences through innovative products.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>To date, Kia has launched five vehicles in India: the Seltos, Carnival, Sonet, Carens, and EV6, and has dispatched over 1.16 million vehicles, including more than 910,000 domestic sales and around 250,000 exports. With nearly 380,000 connected cars on Indian roads, Kia is a leader in the segment, supported by a network of 432 touchpoints across 213 cities.</p>

Seltos and Carens becoming the most affordable cars economically and fundamentally in India. Seltos diesel manual versions returning over 20 kmpl.