3 days Ago By The Korea Herald
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia achieved record-breaking quarterly sales in the January-March period in India, the world’s third-largest automotive market after China and the US. According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Hyundai Motor and Kia respectively sold 153,550 and 75,576 vehicles in the first three months of 2025, reaching a combined total of 229,126. This marks a 1.
5 percent increase over last year’s 225,686 vehicles sold. Notably, Kia set an all-time high record since it ventured into the Indian market in 2019. Hyundai Motor and Kia captured 13 percent and 6.
4 percent of India’s market, ranking second and sixth, respectively. Their stellar performance was led by strategic SUV lineups, which accounted for 80 percent of total sales. Hyundai Motor’s Creta, its first SUV launched in India in 2015, sold 48,449 units, followed by the Venue SUV’s 31,195 units and the Exter SUV’s 17,330 units.
Kia’s top-selling car was the Sonet SUV, with 22,497 units sold, while the Seltos SUV and Carens multipurpose vehicle sold 19,441 units and 16,352 units, respectively. Making its debut in India in February, Kia also delivered 15,986 Syros SUVs to customers. Recognizing India’s fast-growing auto market, Korea’s top two car brands are strengthening their footing in the country with revamped sales strategies.
Hyundai Motor is gearing up to start operations at its Talegaon plant, in India's western state of Maharashtra, later this year. Acquired from General Motors in 2023, the facility aims for an annual production capacity of 200,000 units. In October last year, Hyundai Motor India made a strong commitment to India, marking the country’s largest initial public offering and the first overseas subsidiary of a Korean company to go public in global markets.
In addition, the two automakers partnered with three Indian Institutes of Technology last December to set up a joint research center for electric vehicle batteries and electrification sectors. “We plan to bolster our presence in India by contributing to creating a local mobility ecosystem tailored to the country,” stated a Hyundai Motor Company official..
