Despite only joining the Indian market in 2017, Kia has become one of the country's top-selling auto brands and made a lasting impression. Only a select few other brands have been able to match the amount of love that Kia has managed to amass in just over six years.
With models such as the EV6, Sonet, Carens, Carnival, and Seltos carrying on the brand's flambeau of success, sales for the automaker increased during the joyous month of October, enabling Kia to end as the fifth best-selling car brand of the year with a 6.2% overall market share. The full list of Kia vehicles that sold the best in October 2023 can be found here.
Model Units Sold in October 2023 Units Sold in October 2022 Y-O-Y Growth
Kia Seltos 12,362 9,777 26%
Kia Sonet 6,493 7,614 -15%
Kia Carens 5,355 5,497 -2%Kia EV6 141 152 -7%
Kia Carens 5,355 5,497 -2%Kia EV6 141 152 -7%
Kia Seltos
With the Seltos facelift doing wonders for the brand, the SUV has regained its turbo-petrol engine—this time in a larger 1.5-liter version—along with a slew of new features and clever, noteworthy cosmetic adjustments. With all of this, the SUV has been able to recover its waning appeal and turn back into the iconic vehicle that it always was. Taking advantage of the holiday spirit, the Kia Seltos did reasonably well, selling 12,362 units in October 2023—a notable 26% increase in sales year over year.
This made the Kia Seltos the best-selling Kia car of the month as well as the third best-selling SUV of the month.
After a much-needed facelift, the SUV now sports a larger and improved 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine mated to a 6-speed iMT/7-speed DCT, in addition to a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine available with a 6-speed manual or CVT and a 1.5-liter diesel engine mated to a 6-speed iMT/torque-convertor automatic transmission.
Kia Sonet
A remarkable success story, Kia Sonet will turn three in September 2023. The Sonet, praised as one of India's most popular small SUVs, has sold over 2.2 lakh units, an accomplishment that is uncommon for this period of time. The Kia Sonet is a phenomenal success in the class thanks to its sleek and contemporary design, which is complemented by a number of high-end features and well-tuned engine options. With 6,493 sales in October 2023, the Sonet managed to rank as the second best-selling Kia car and the seventh best-selling compact SUV of the month, despite showing a 15% decline in year-over-year growth.
The Sonet is available with three exciting engine options: a 1.5-liter diesel engine, a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine, and a 1-liter turbo-petrol engine. The Sonet's transmission options are a five-speed manual for naturally aspirated gasoline, a six-speed manual/AT for diesel, and either a six-speed iMT or a seven-speed DCT for turbocharged gasoline.
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6, the Korean automaker's first all-electric crossover in India, is a good choice in the high-end electric market. Although the EV6 is pricey, its thrilling performance, upscale interior, superior features, and excellent comfort more than make up for it. The EV sold 141 units in October 2023, despite there being a limited supply available. This made it the fourth best-selling Kia car of the month, even though its year-over-year growth was down 7%.
Kia has introduced the India-spec EV6, which has a 77.4kWh battery pack and two powertrain options: a dual motor all-wheel drive setup (325PS and 605Nm) and a single-motor rear-wheel drive setup. The EV6 is a good purchase because it has an ARAI-claimed range of up to 708 km.
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