Kia India, the Korean carmaker and one of the fastest-growing, has started producing its three-row recreational vehicle Kia Carens in India, and said the car got 7,738 bookings in the first 24 hours.
The car is being produced at Kia’s manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
“The Kia Carens is the latest ‘Made-in-India’ offering from the company, which combines the sophistication of a family mover and the sportiness of an SUV in one to make it a compelling value proposition and the best choice for modern Indian families,” the company said.
The car is likely to prove to be a tough competitor to the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Innova Crysta, and is likely to be priced in the middle of the two at around 14.5 lakh.
Kia Carens will be manufactured in India and will be exported to over 80 countries.
“Following the world premiere in December, the Kia Carens will be officially launched in February 2022,” the company said.
Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India, said the car will bring a “new set of value propositions” for the new-age customer.
“I am very excited about the beginning of this new journey. The Kia Carens is the fourth product we are rolling out in India. Our teams have worked tirelessly to bring out a product that truly reflects and resonates with modern Indian families. When customers think of a Kia they expect best-in-class features, a distinct design identity and unmatched ownership experience,” he claimed.
Kia Carens will come in petrol and diesel combined with multiple transmission options, including the 7DCT and 6AT.
Among its features are Sliding Type Seat Under Tray, Retractable Seatback Table, the Rear Door Spot Lamp, and the Bottle and Gadget Holder in the third row.
The company claims that it will offer “generous space in the third row, making it a complete family car.” In the safety department, the model has 6 airbags ABS, ESC, VSM, Hill Assist and DBC.
Kia India had opened prebookings on 14th January 2022 on www.kia.com/in by paying Rs 25,000.
The company has been operating in India for five years. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the State Government of Andhra Pradesh, India, in 2017 to build a new manufacturing facility at Anantapur District.
The first cars started rolling off the plant in August 2019, which now has an annual production capacity of approximately 300,000 units.
It has launched three vehicles for Indian market – the Seltos, the Carnival and the Sonet — and became the quickest brand to achieve the 350,000 sales milestone in the domestic automotive market.
The company has over 1.75 lakh cars on Indian roads.