Kia rolls out one-millionth car from India plant in just 4 years

Kia India has rolled out its one-millionth vehicle from the Anantapur facility in Andhra Pradesh, achieving a major milestone. The South Korean auto giant commenced its India operations in August 2019 with the launch of the Seltos and the one-millionth vehicle to roll out of the facility is the Seltos facelift, scheduled to go on sale soon.

The Seltos marked a blockbuster entry for Kia in India contributing over five lakh units to overall sales alone in a record time of 46 months. The automaker then introduced the Sonet and Carnival in 2020, followed by the Carens and EV6 in 2022. Out of the one million units produced, the Setlos has contributed 532,450 units (current and facelift versions) so far, along with 332,450 units of the Sonet, 120,516 units of the Carens and 14,584 units of the Carnival. The Kia EV6 is brought to India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU).

The Kia Seltos facelift arrives later this month with the model being a top seller for the automaker

Unveiling the one-millionth car, Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India, said, “This is a big moment for us, our employees, and our partners who have lived and supported our journey and helped us in making Kia an integral part of Indian consumer’s lives today. We are extremely grateful for their support and the love of our customers. I feel that the future is bright for Kia India, and the new Seltos marks the beginning of an exhilarating chapter as we continue to drive towards automotive excellence in the Indian market. We will remain dedicated to driving innovation, pushing boundaries, and shaping the future of mobility in India."

Kia India has also announced its new aim to garner a 10 per cent market share in the market with new segment entries as well as expanding its sales and service network from the current 300 to over 600 touchpoints.

Kia’s one millionth vehicle production in a span of just 3.8 years is indeed impressive. To give you perspective, Kia’s cousin Hyundai rolled out its first millionth car in 2006, after starting local production in 1998. The automaker rolled out its 10 millionth car in 2021. Renault India also rolled out its one-millionth car earlier this year, having commenced independent operations in 2012.