Total sales of Kia India till June 2020 have crossed the 94k mark – Of these, more than 50k units had the connected car tech
The Indian auto industry was already looking at a slump by the time the last financial year concluded, and this year remains shrouded in lockdown and resulting production and purchase slowdown. But there was a breath of fresh air that invigorated the market.
Kia Motors India began operations, and its first launch, Kia Seltos wooed buyers at unprecedented levels. Kia has already reported sales of 50,000 activated connected cars, the bulk of which comes from Kia Seltos, and its newer launch, Carnival.
Kia sealed the feat in 11 months of launching Kia Seltos in India. Till date, Kia has sold 90,709 Kia Seltos units, and an impressive 3,398 Kia Carnival units. Kia is poised to touch its first 1 lakh sales n India soon. Sales till date stands at 94,107 units. Given the numbers, more than 50 percent cars sold by Kia Motors India are connected cars.
Kookhyun Shim, MD & CEO, Kia Motors India said, “We have attained this landmark figure due to our strong determination and continuous efforts to bring innovation and next-gen technology to our customers. At Kia Motors India, we are committed to meet new consumer demands and fill the gap in what’s offered to them. Kia’s innovative UVO connect technology has brought about a significant change in the way owners engage with their cars in India. Now with the updated UVO connect features in the new Seltos and upcoming Sonet, Kia has made driving even more fun, safe, convenient and comfortable.”
Kia connected car tech features UVO technology. UVO Connect seamlessly integrates one’s smartphone, car and its infotainment system into a single unit to provide a secure, convenient and joyful experience. When its smart car connectivity was first rolled out it stood mighty with 37 smart features. This has now been increased to 50+ category-first features. UVO-led tech now features Voice Assist wake up Command ‘Hello Kia’, and nine new voice commands including Calling, Weather Information, Time and Date, Indian Holiday Information, Cricket Score, Media Control, Navigation Control and Climate Control.
UVO Smart Watch App Connectivity can also be accessed by a Smart Watch, built on Android, iOS or Tizen operating systems. UVO safety and Connectivity features include Stolen Vehicle Notification that facilitates remotely immobilising a stolen vehicle with help from Kia’s dedicated call centre. Auto Collision Notification informs customers’ friends/family about a crash. Remote Smart pure Air feature to monitor the AQI inside the car. And while Kia continues to update and refresh its connected car applications, we await the Sonet boom.
One may want to reflect on why Kia Seltos is a runaway success, but that’s best left to the vehicle itself. It came. It saw. It conquered. And in doing so, Seltos has laid a strong foundation for even the 2020 Hyundai Creta. While on the outside they are of a different design, they’re essentially designed to share a chassis, engine and transmission options. This makes Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos top competitors in a playing field that’s not level for any other manufacturer. The race for the top in the mid-sized SUV begins and ends with Hyundai and Kia.
