Kia India reports sales growth in January to beginning 2022 on a strong note
Kia India sales have been a bit like a see-saw. There have been great months and some not so great months. January 2022 appears to have been a good month in recent times. For January 2022, monthly sales are reported at 19,319 units. That embeds Kia India smoothly in the middle of the sales pecking order.
Expectedly, its highest contributor with 11,483 units is Kia Seltos. Numbers are enough to establish Seltos’ position in the top 10 cars sold for the month. YoY sales growth is reported at 1.38 percent. In January 2021, sales were reported at 19,056 units. Volume gain stood at 263 units.
While YoY sales was stable, MoM sales growth was ambitious. In December 2021, the manufacturer reported 7,797 units sold. Volume gain in Jan ’22 stood at an extraordinary 11,522 units. While Kia India has had rather few months of comparatively lower sales, the manufacturer is already capable of selling upward of 50k units in a quarter. Seemingly, January sales portends the start to a good quarter.
Strengthening Kia’s position in India
To date, Kia India has already sold 3.9 lakh units. This in 30 months of sales operation here. As manufacturers adjust production capability to meet ongoing demand, the expectation for supply chain constraints to be sorted extends to the latter part of 2022. At Kia, the company depends on careful planning and market estimation to maintain stable production to meet current market trends. Kia expects the semiconductor shortage issue to show signs of recovery in Q2 2022.
Speaking about exports, Kia India has recorded exports of 1 lakh units in 29 months. Kia exported Seltos and Sonet, to 91 countries in the regions of Middle East, Africa, Central & South America, Mexico, and Asia-Pacific. Currently, the share of exports of Seltos and Sonet stands at 77% and 23% respectively. Making it a unique offering, the brand also customised its shipping units, especially as per the export market requirements.
Since the beginning till January, 2022 the company has exported an accumulated 1,01,734 vehicles. In CY2021, the company shipped over 46,261 units, registering a 23% Y-o-Y increase in exports. Kia India also became the number 1 UV exporter in the country, with a market share of over 25%. Furthermore, the brand also ranked third in the overall PV segment, acquiring a market share of close to 9%.
Hardeep Brar, VP and Head of Sales & Marketing, Kia India said, “We are kick-starting the new year with positive sales growth and a new product on offer for our discerning Indian customers. The month of January has been truly overwhelming for us, with our newest offering Kia Carens, receiving a record response with 7,738 bookings in just 24 hours. We are excited by the market reaction, as all of our offerings have been consistently performing well on a month-on-month basis. We are confident that the introduction of our three-row recreational vehicle, the Kia Carens, will strengthen our position in the Indian automotive industry.”
Kia Carens launch
In further bolstering its stronghold here, Kia Carens is ready for launch. Last month the company initiated pre-bookings at 25k. The rest was history. In the first 24 hours, 7,738 bookings were confirmed for Kia Carens. Test drives from dealerships have gotten underway yesterday.
This being Kia’s fourth car for India, the company is expanding both its line-up, and scope. The 3 row MPV isn’t exactly a segment that bolsters sales, but for those looking for something bigger than a compact UV, this is what fits the bill.
