Kia plans to discontinue its Venga model due to poor sales; will make space for the all-new Stonic
South Korean auto manufacturer Kia has hinted that it will discontinue the small MPV Venga. The car is not fetching desired sales and its discontinuation will make space for the all-new sub-compact SUV Stonic that has been unveiled yesterday. This also shows the trend of falling sales of MPV segment and the rise of SUVs.
Kia sold only 26,000 units of the Venga MPV in the European market in 2016 attributing to 6% of the auto manufacturer’s total sales in the continent. In comparison, the Kia Stonic is positioned in the segment that fetches around 1.1 million sales volume in the European market and expected to grow to more than 2 million by the end of this decade.
Also read: Is Kia Stonic an Ideal Compact SUV for India?
The South Korean automaker has said that replacing the Venga with a new generation model will be difficult. However, the Hyundai owned company is yet to make any final decision about the small MPV. But, as it seems, the car is nearing towards its death. Interesting discontinuation in the MPV segment is seen across several automakers in recent past as Nissan also confirmed that it will discontinue Note small MPV.
In the meantime, Kia has unveiled its much anticipated model Stonic and this sub-compact SUV could arrive in India too after the brand’s launch here. This car will lock horns with rivals like Nissan Juke and Toyota C-HR in the global markets with the latter model also expected to launch here in near future.
Also read: 20+ Expected Upcoming Cars at 2018 Auto Expo
The demands and popularity of SUVs and crossovers in India are sky high and by launching the Stonic, Kia aims to grab a good chunk of that segment. Kia Stonic comes incorporating a very interesting and eye catching design language. It looks muscular and sporty alongside being stylish. Inside the cabin too, Kia Stonic comes with a very sporty and upmarket appearance. If the brand launches the car here it could adopt the engine options from Hyundai Elite i20.
Kia Stonic Gallery
