Hyundai Motor and Kia experienced significant sales growth in India in the first five months of the year, fueled by the popularity of their SUV models, according to industry data. Hyundai’s passenger vehicle sales in India reached 266,317 units from January to May, marking a 10.1 percent increase compared to the previous year. Similarly, Kia saw a robust growth of 14.6 percent in sales during the same period.
Hyundai secured the fourth position in India’s passenger vehicle market, following Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra, while Kia stood at the sixth spot, trailing Toyota. The combined sales of Hyundai Motor and Kia in India totaled 405,514 units during the January-May period, reflecting an 11.6 percent growth from the previous year.
The success of both companies was largely attributed to their SUV lineups. Hyundai’s popular SUV models, the Creta and Venue, contributed to over half of its total sales in the period. On the other hand, Kia witnessed strong demand for the Seltos and Sonet, with these SUVs constituting 76.3 percent of the company’s sales in India.
In a recent move, Hyundai Motor India raised the prices of its vehicles by up to Rs 12,800 starting from June 1, citing increased input costs, higher commodity prices, and escalated operational expenses. The company clarified that the extent of the price hike would vary based on the model and variant. Despite efforts to minimize the impact on customers by optimizing costs, Hyundai found it necessary to implement a “nominal” price increase due to various factors.
