Kia has driven past yet another milestone by recording sales of over 400,000 connected cars in India. Through a media release statement, Kia stated that the connected car variants contribute more than 44% to the carmaker’s overall domestic dispatches, claiming to be one of the best cases in the Indian market.
Furthermore, Kia India’s Connected Car variants are growing at 30.9% CAGR, outpacing the global growth forecast of 18% by 2032. The company currently retails three locally manufactured cars in India– Seltos, Sonet, and Carens– all of them offering connected car features in selected variants.
Commenting on Kia’s technology leadership in the automotive industry, Myung-sik Sohn, Chief Sales and Business Officer, Kia India, said, “We have differentiated our brand in the market for its design and technology superiority. In today’s hyper-connected world, customers want their cars to be seamlessly integrated with their lifestyle, driving a surge in demand for technology-enabled cars.”
Kia connected vehicles breakup
Seltos is the major contributor to the Kia’s connected car vehicles in India with 65% share. Kia says customer preference for Seltos has also consistently leaned towards variants equipped with Connected Car features, comprising 57% of all Seltos units sold. Following Seltos, Carens demonstrates a similar trend with 31% of its customers opting for connected car variants.
Although telematics is available in only 7 variants of Sonet currently, these models still contribute a significant 21% to the total Sonet sales. Some of the most popular connected car features from Kia include Hinglish voice commands, remote window control, remote engine start, remote AC start/stop, and valet mode.
Kia recently updated the Sonet with a refreshed exterior and some additional features. The subcompact SUV is priced between Rs 7.99 lakh and Rs 15.7 lakh. On the other hand, Seltos, which received a comprehensive facelift in July last year, is priced between Rs 10.9 lakh and Rs 20.3 lakh. Carens is priced between Rs 10.4 lakh and Rs 19.4 lakh (all prices ex–showroom).
