Kia India has announced that it has sold over 4 lakh connected car units in the nation, establishing a new sales record. Though limited to the brand's top-of-the-line models, Kia cars with connected car technology currently make up 44 per cent of the company's domestic sales in India. For the uninitiated, three locally built models – the Seltos, Sonet, and the Carens – are currently being sold by the firm in India, and certain variants of all three models include connected car technologies.
Speaking about the latest milestone, Myung-sik Sohn, Chief Sales and Business Officer of Kia India, said, 'We have differentiated our brand in the market for its design and technology superiority. In today’s hyper-connected world, customers want their cars to be seamlessly integrated with their lifestyle, driving a surge in demand for technology-enabled cars. We will continue to introduce more and more connected car features to offer a safer, more connected, and enjoyable driving experience to our new-age customers.'
Kia Seltos Captures the Major Share
It is interesting to note that the Seltos accounts for 65% of Kia's connected vehicle sales. According to the firm, customers have continuously preferred the Seltos with connected car features, which accounts for 57% of all Seltos sales. Furthermore, the Carens, which follows the Seltos in terms of sales of connected car models, witnessed a similar pattern, with 31% of its customers opting for connected car models.
Even though there are presently only 7 Sonet models with telematics, they account for a sizeable 21% of the Sonet sales overall. Some of the most-liked connected car features offered by Kia include Hinglish voice commands, remote window control, remote engine start, remote AC start/stop, and valet mode.
Kia Seltos: Specs and Features
The Kia Seltos is offered with three engine options, which include a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine, and a new 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. The naturally aspirated petrol (NA) engine develops 113bhp and 144Nm and can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT. On the other hand, the diesel engine can be coupled to a 6-speed manual, a 6-speed iMT, or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Lastly, the Kia Seltos's new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine generates 253Nm of peak torque and 158bhp of maximum power and can be coupled with either a six-speed iMT or a seven-speed DCT.
The Seltos facelift features a tiger-nose grille, a sculpted bonnet, wrap-around LED taillamps, LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, and 18-inch wheels, along with design elements. The car's interior includes two 10.25-inch screens, a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, and a Bose music system. The SUV has six airbags as standard, an ESC, a 360-degree camera, a hill hold assist, and other safety features. It also has Level-2 ADAS features, including adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and more.
The SUV's prices range from Rs 10.89 lakh to Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom). It competes with the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Hyundai Creta, Honda Elevate, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor, and Citroen C3 Aircross.
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