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Kia grows UV market share to 8.53%, turns India's 7th biggest PV exporter

Having made inroads intoIndia's utility vehicle market, the Korean carmaker is also upping the ante on the export front.

By Ajit Dalvi

14 Mar 2020

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In the April 2019-February 2020 period, Kia produced 88,671 units comprising 85,979 Seltos SUVs and 2,692 Carnival MPVs. The plant is equipped with over 450 robots that help automate the press, body and paint shops, as well as the assembly line.

It is understood Kia's manufacturing plan will see around 170,000 units produced in 2020, growing to 230,000 units in 2021 and achieving capacity utilisation of 300,000 units by 2022.

Till end-February 2020, the Seltos, Kia's first product in India, has sold a total of 74,320 units, a monthly average of 10,617 units.

Around August 2020, Kia Motors India will launch its third model, the Sonet compact SUV. The tech-laden Hyundai Venue and Maruti Vitara Brezza fighter, available with a wide variety of powertrains, is expected to carry a sticker price of about Rs 700,000-11.5 lakh (estimated, ex-showroom).

Kia Motors India is on a roll and how. In a scant seven months, the relatively unknown brand in India has now become a familiar face and is a rival to contend with for established OEMs. Not only is the Korean carmaker now a force to reckon with in the domestic market but it looks like the company wants to extend its impact to make-in-India exports too.

Right from the launch of the Seltos, its first product in India, on August 22 last year, the company has seen surging demand for the SUV and till end-February 2020 has sold ...

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