Kia stood fifth in the manufacturers’ standings last month as 7,275 units were sold to finish behind, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata and Mahindra
Kia Motors India made a strong impression with the debut of the Seltos in August 2019. The mid-size SUV received tremendous attention amongst buyers and it climbed to the top of the sales charts by beating Hyundai Creta. With the second generation Creta already up and running, both models are evenly matched to take the competition to newer heights into the near future.
Despite the nationwide health crisis, the sales numbers posted by the automobile manufacturers in the month of June 2020 was nothing short of encouraging. Amidst a couple of months of production stoppage and shutdown of retail shops, the month of May 2020 acted as a consolation of having something rather that nothing. However, the fortunes did improve a bit last month.
In June 2020, the cumulative sales tally saw a de-growth of 48 per cent. Kia was the fifth most sold carmaker in the country as it finished behind Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata and Mahindra. The South Korean auto major recorded a total of 7,275 units last month which includes 7,114 units of Seltos and 161 units of Carnival.
Kia introduced the Carnival at the 2020 Auto Expo. The premium MPV is sold in three variants and it competes against the top-end variants of the Toyota Innova Crysta while having a niche of its own. It is powered by a 2.2-litre four=cylinder diesel engine, which is good enough to generate a maximum power output of 200 PS and 440 Nm of peak torque.
It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission only. The Seltos, on the other hand, derives power from a 1.5-litre petrol, a 1.5-litre diesel and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. The 1.5-litre gasoline unit develops 115 PS and 144 Nm and is paired with a six-speed manual or a CVT. The turbo petrol kicks out 140 PS and 242 Nm and is connected to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT.
The 1.5-litre diesel motor produces 115 PS and 250 Nm of peak torque. It can be had with a six-speed manual as standard and a six-speed torque converter automatic as an option.