The Seltos helped Kia to finish fifth in the overall sales table among manufacturers as it was just over 300 units shy of Tata’s total tally
Kia Motors India Limited made a strong impact domestically with the launch of its debut vehicle, the Seltos. The mid-size SUV became one of the highly anticipated launches of the year as Kia built it up nicely on social media ahead of the global unveil. The five-seater entered the market in August with a highly desirable price range.
Costing between Rs. 9.69 lakh and Rs. 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom), the Seltos’ expansive range saw further expansion as two automatic variants were added to the lineup a little while later that increased the range-topping trim’s price to Rs. 16.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The Seltos has a sporty exterior taking design cues from the latest crop of Kia SUVs sold globally.
Its influence of the SP Concept should not be undermined though as the sharp Tiger Nose grille and distinctive headlamps headlined the styling department. In its first month, the Seltos garnered a highly respectable total of 6,236 units before registering 7,544 units in September 2019.
By the middle of last month, Kia officially announced that the Seltos had gone past the 50,000 booking milestone. The Seltos reached new heights last month as 12,850 units were sold. It breached into the top ten most sold cars list for the month of October and was positioned seventh while beating main rivals like Hyundai Creta and MG Hector quite comprehensively.
| Mid-Size SUVs | October 2019 Sales | October 2018 Sales |
| Kia Seltos | 12,854 | – |
| Hyundai Creta | 7,269 | 11,702 |
| Mahindra Scorpio | 4,628 | 4,603 |
| MG Hector | 3,536 | – |
| Mahindra XUV500 | 1,378 | 2,156 |
| Maruti Suzuki S-Cross | 1,356 | 3,317 |
| Tata Harrier | 1,258 | – |
| Jeep Compass | 854 | 1,150 |
| Renault Duster | 622 | 750 |
| Nissan Kicks | 313 | – |
Data Source : AutoPunditz
Kia Motors ended up as the fifth most sold carmaker in the country last month due to Seltos’ popularity as it was just over 300 units shy of Tata. The MoM sales growth stood at 70% for Seltos and Kia is fast pacing its production in Anantapur to meet the customer requirements.
The SUV comes in three powertrain choices as the 1.5-litre petrol makes 115 PS and 144 Nm while the 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel delivers 115 PS and 250 Nm. The 1.4-litre T-GDI sold in the GT Line grade pumps out 140 PS and 242 Nm and it can be had with six-speed CVT as an option.
The 1.5-litre diesel can be optioned out with a six-speed torque converter AT and the 1.4-litre petrol with a seven-speed DCT. The Seltos’ main competitor Hyundai Creta could only manage 7,269 units last month while Mahindra Scorpio stood third ahead of MG Hector, Mahindra XUV500 and Maruti Suzuki S-Cross as they posted 4,628, 3,536, 1,378 and 1,356 units respectively. Tata Harrier was only seventh with 1,258 units.