Kia's September Sales: Sonet and Carens Lead the Way

Kia India sold 22,700 cars in Sept 2025, down 3%. Carens grew 18% while Sonet and Seltos sales declined.

Kia's sales in India during September remained almost the same compared to last year, showing a slight decrease overall. Despite this, the Sonet and Carens models continued to be very important for the brand's total sales in the market, making up a large portion of the vehicles sold. The company sold 22,700 cars last month, which was a 3% drop from the 23,523 cars sold in September of the previous year. However, the Sonet and Carens together contributed a significant 72% of Kia's total sales in September 2025, which is a 2% increase from their contribution in September 2024, highlighting their continued popularity among buyers.

The Kia Sonet, which serves as the starting point for customers looking to buy a Kia vehicle in India, recorded sales of 9,020 units in September 2025. This figure represents a 13% decrease when compared to the 10,335 units sold in September 2024, indicating a slight dip in its performance against competitors like the Hyundai Venue. In contrast, the Kia Carens showed a much stronger performance this year, with 7,338 units delivered in September 2025, marking an impressive 18% increase over the 6,217 units sold in the same month last year. This three-row model experienced the highest growth across Kia's entire lineup last month, and notably, it has even surpassed the Seltos in terms of sales this year, demonstrating its growing appeal to families and those needing more space.

Sales for the Kia Seltos, a popular premium SUV, saw a decline of 16% in September this year, with only 5,816 units delivered compared to 6,959 units in September of the previous year. Furthermore, the recently launched Syros, a sub-4 meter SUV positioned above the Sonet, did not perform as well as expected, managing to sell only 465 units last month. Most of Kia's imported models also faced challenges last month, as the company delivered just 61 units of the Carnival, a model that was not available for sale in September of the previous year. The electric EV6 model, despite receiving a facelift in March, did not sell a single unit last month, a stark contrast to the 12 units sold in September last year, indicating a struggle in the electric vehicle segment.

Even the EV9, which is Kia's most advanced model globally, recorded zero sales last month, reflecting difficulties in the high-end market. This three-row SUV carries a price tag of 1.30 crore rupees (ex-showroom), making it even more expensive than some luxury electric SUVs, which might be a factor in its sales performance. These figures show that while some models like the Sonet and Carens are performing well and are crucial to Kia's sales, other models, especially newer or imported ones, are facing challenges in the current market. Kia will likely need to adjust its strategies for these models to improve their sales in the coming months, focusing on what makes their top sellers so successful.