In addition to the premium MPV Carnival, Kia India also sells the Seltos and Sonet SUVs. Next week, the company will introduce Carens, a three-row SUV, as its fourth vehicle in India.
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The continuous supply crisis is to blame for the 13% decline in sales recorded by Korean automaker Kia last month. Kia’s sales have plummeted by more than 32% compared to the same month last year, with only 14,214 cars sold in November.
Kia recorded sales of 16,331 units in October of this year, a decrease of almost 22% from the same month last year. The sales decline has gotten worse inside a month.
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Why are sales of Kia declining?
The company sold 7,797 units in December 2021, according to data made public by Kia India. The company had a decrease of 34% from the 11,818 units sold in the same month in 2020. The production limitations brought on by the continuous global shortage of semiconductor chips would be one of the primary causes of this decline in sales. Kia reported cumulative sales of 2,27,844 units for the entire calendar year, a significant increase of 62 percent compared to the 140,505 units sold in CY2020. Here, we must take into account the fact that COVID-19-related issues plagued 2020, and that the company’s best-selling model, Sonet, was also unavailable for purchase in H1 2020. Additionally, Kia India exported 46,261 units in CY2021, representing a YoY gain of 23%.
Is Kia Sonet profitable?
Since it was first introduced in India last year, the Kia Sonet has become one of the most well-liked sub-compact SUVs. In less than a year, the company has sold more than 1 lakh units of this SUV, which is evidence of Sonet’s popularity in India. Without a doubt, the Sonet will be on your list if you’re looking to purchase a new sub-four meter SUV. But should you make a reservation given Sonet’s stellar sales numbers? Well, not until you read the arguments against the SUV that might persuade you otherwise. Please understand that we have nothing against Kia Sonet. In fact, we’ve previously written a piece outlining five reasons why the Kia Sonet should be your next vehicle: utility, features, traction modes, turbo petrol engine, and automatic transmission with diesel engine. However, it is only right that we also highlight the factors that can persuade you to think about a vehicle other than the Kia Sonet in order to better fit your needs. Here are the five factors that may lead you to seek alternatives to the Kia Sonet in your quest for fairness and objectivity.
Why was the Kia Sonet canceled?
The popular SUVs Sonet and Seltos will no longer be offered in a couple of their variations, according to Kia Motors. According to reports, a company document contained the information about the discontinuation. According to the paper, the HTX Plus automatic and HTX Plus AT 1.5 Deisel models from Kia Seltos and Kia Sonet will shortly be retired.
Low demand appears to be the driving force behind Kia Motors’ decision to cancel the two models of its two SUVs. The leaked paper, according to a report by HT Auto, stated that the firm made this decision after gathering comments and observing the patterns for the two SUVs. According to the source, starting in April, Kia dealers won’t take reservations for the Sonet HTK Plus 1.0L petrol DTC, HTK Plus 1.5L diesel AT, or Seltos HTX Plus 1.5L AT models.
Has the Kia Sonet been canceled?
Two Sonet subcompact SUV types and one Seltos compact SUV variation have been retired by Kia Motors India. The HTK Plus DCT 1.0 Petrol and HTK Plus AT 1.5 Diesel variants of the Sonet, as well as the HTX Plus AT 1.5 Diesel of the Seltos, will no longer be available from mid-April 2021, according to some of the Kia dealers we spoke with. Additionally, Kia Motors has directed its dealer partners to stop taking reservations for the aforementioned models as of April 1, 2021. However, according to a document that was released, the business will honor delivery of the aforementioned Sonet and Seltos variations that were ordered by a client on or before March 31, 2021.
In order to obtain formal confirmation of this decision and the reasoning behind it, we contacted Kia Motors India; but, as of the time this story was published, the business had not responded to our email.
How many Kia Sonets were sold there?
Within less than two years of its inception, the Kia Sonet has sold 1.5 lakh units in India. According to Kia, the Sonet accounts for more than 32% of the company’s sales in India.
- 26 percent of Sonet users choose the more expensive variants.
- The iMT variant accounts for one-fourth of Sonet sales.
- Automatic variations make up 22%.
In September 2020, the Kia Sonet was introduced, with prices starting at Rs 6.71 lakh and up to Rs 11.99 lakh. One lakh units of the Sonet were sold in India in just 12 months.
The Sonet was the fourth best-selling small SUV in FY22, behind the Tata Nexon, Maruti Vitara Brezza, and the Sonet’s sibling vehicle, the Hyundai Venue, with 73,864 units sold.
Which little SUV performs the best in India?
best models of small SUVs
- Samsung Venue. 7.53 – 12.72 Lakh. Price is ex-showroom. Petrol Hyundai Venue E.
- 7.54 to 13.90 lakhs for the Tata Nexon. Price is ex-showroom.
- 7.15 – 13.79 lakh Kia Sonet Price is ex-showroom.
- 5.97 – 10.53 lakh Nissan Magnite Price is ex-showroom.
- 5.99 – 10.62 Lakh. Ex-Showroom Price. Renault Kiger.
Problems Faced In First 13000kms
1) DIESEL HTX VERY POOR CITY MILEAGE (CHANDIGARH 15KMPL, HIGHWAY 22KMPL) 2) THE SOFTWARE FOR INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS HAS A LOT OF GLITCHS AND CONNECTIVITY PROBLEMS. 3) WHILE MOVING AT CONSTANT SPEED, VEHICLE JERKS. Because it is uncommon and has never appeared in test drives, the DEALER REFUSED TO ACCEPT. 4) The readings for distance to fuel empty and estimated mileage are also extremely erratic. MUST NOT RELY ON THEM. 5) THE BRAKES HAVE SOME PROBLEMS. EVEN WITH ABS, HARD BRAKES CAUSE THE TYRES TO GET STUCK AND SKID. NEVER, EVER purchase this car. NOT AT ALL RECOMMENDED.
Is the Kia Sonet’s construction subpar?
The Kia Sonet has the same excellent build quality as its larger sibling, the Seltos. In the ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) Safety crash testing, the Seltos SUV received a 5-star rating. Six airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera, electronic stability control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system are all included in the Sonet’s safety features.
Actually only receiving a 2 star rating, it only received 8.03 points, which is barely adequate… 8 to 11 points are a 3 star, while 5 to 8 points are a 2 star.
Although I haven’t personally checked at ratings, I’ll go with a three-star rating because it’s still quite good compared to India’s largest automaker.
Will Kia depart from India?
Keeping operations in Andhra Pradesh, according to Kia Motors Kia has established a long-term commitment to the Indian market and invested USD 1.1 billion in the Anantapur manufacturing facility.
What Sonet model has been retired?
Kia Motors has made the decision to stop selling some of the Sonet and Seltos models in India. The business informed its dealers of this information via formal mail. They stated in the document that the decision was made in light of customer input and booking trends. Both the HTK Plus and HTX Plus trims of the Sonet and Seltos will no longer be produced by the automaker. Additionally, the manufacturer has instructed all of its dealers not to accept reservations for these automobiles beginning on April 1.
According to the mail document Rushlane obtained, Sonet’s HTK Plus trim, which features a 1.5-liter CRDi diesel engine mated to a 6-speed automated gearbox and a 1.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine mated to a DCT transmission, would no longer be produced. The 1.5 liter engine and 6-speed automatic transmission for Seltos’ HTX Plus variant have been retired.
It’s not the first time Kia has dropped a certain model from its lineup. Similar actions had already been taken for its Seltos variations. There isn’t a lot of information available right now about the new versions of Sonet and Seltos. The South Korean business will soon introduce some stunning alternatives for both models, if the rumor mill is to be believed.
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The soon-to-be released top trim Seltos variant will reportedly have a panoramic sunroof, according to the article. The freshly updated Seltos HTX Plus has been released with a number of high-tech amenities, including an 8-way powered driver’s seat, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, UVO linked car technology, an 8-speaker Bose radio system, Android Auto, and Apple Car.
Three engine options are available for the freshly updated Sonet HTK Plus, including a 1.2-liter normally aspirated petrol unit, a 1.0-litre turbo petrol unit, and a 1.5-litre diesel unit. All of these engines are exclusively available with manual transmissions. Power windows, a touchscreen infotainment system, a multi-function steering wheel, automatic climate control, and power-adjustable ORVMs are just a few of the upscale features offered by the version.
Is Kia getting rid of the Seltos?
The 1.5-liter engine for the Seltos HTK+ diesel-auto was available with a 6-speed torque converter.
The 2.2-liter diesel engine in Kia’s premium MPV is paired with an 8-speed automated transmission.
Our sources tell us that Kia has discontinued the Seltos and Carnival’s base-spec Premium 7-seater and mid-spec HTK+ diesel automatic models, respectively. Although the automaker hasn’t stated why the model was discontinued, we think poor demand was certainly a factor. Even more, it has instructed its dealer network to stop taking reservations for these variants starting on February 19.
The automaker has discontinued a few Carnival models back in January. The Sonet and Seltos’ exterior paint options were subsequently deleted.
Kia retailed the Carnival’s Premium 7-seater form for Rs 25.49 lakh, while the Seltos HTK+ diesel-auto was priced at Rs 14.25 lakh. Due to this withdrawal, consumers must now choose the GTX+ AT, a range-topping diesel-powered vehicle, instead of the Seltos diesel-auto, which is no longer part of the HT Line (priced at Rs 17.95 lakh, a premium of Rs 3.7 lakh). The Prestige 7-seater, which retails for Rs 29.99 lakh, is the new base-spec trim for the Carnival (a premium of Rs 4.5 lakh).
The 1.5-liter diesel engine (115PS/250Nm) of the Seltos HTK+ diesel-auto model was mated to a 6-speed torque converter. The 16-inch alloy wheels, 8-inch touchscreen, and push-button start/stop are among of the trim’s standout features.
The Carnival, on the other hand, has a single 2.2-liter diesel engine (200PS/440Nm) that is paired with an 8-speed automated transmission. The premium MPV from Kia included three-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a rearview camera in its now-discontinued Premium version.
Has the Kia Seltos been retired?
Kia India hasn’t given any details on why it made the choice. The Korean automaker may have removed the versions due to insufficient demand, it is thought.
In India, Kia has discontinued the HTK+ diesel versions of the Seltos SUV and Carnival MPV.
Some of the Seltos SUV and Carnival MPV versions will no longer be sold in India, according to Kia India. The business has discontinued the base model of the seven-seater premium MPV Carnival as well as the mid-range HTK+ diesel-automatic trim available on the Seltos SUV.
Kia India hasn’t given any details on why it made the choice. The Korean automaker may have removed the versions due to insufficient demand, it is thought. The automaker has declined to accept dealer reservations for certain models.