The new Kia Sorento midsize SUV, launched on September 4, has sold 1,739 units in its first full month of wholesales (factory dispatches) in the domestic market. Kia India’s new ICE-powered flagship SUV, which was the fifth highest-selling model for the company last month, contributed 5% to Kia India’s record monthly sales in September. Add the 365 units Kia dispatched to its dealers in August, ahead of the model’s launch, and the two-month total is 2,104 units.
September 2026 was a milestone month for Kia India. Seven years after it entered the Indian passenger vehicle market, the Korean car and SUV maker registered its highest monthly wholesales of 32,017 vehicles, up 41% YoY (September 2025: 33,700 units). This also marked the first time that Kia India has sold over 30,000 units in a single month, beating the previous best of 29,556 units in October 2025, which was the first month after the GST 2.0 rate cuts kicked in.
The 32-variant Sorento, which is priced from Rs 27.99 lakh to Rs 40.39 lakh (ex-showroom), competes in the premium three-row (D-segment) SUV segment which includes rivals like the Jeep Meridian, Skoda Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tayron. However, unlike the Skoda and Volkswagen which are produced as CKDs, the Kia is heavily localised.
The Kia Sorento, the longest and widest in its class and the only SUV in the segment to offer six- and seven-seater configurations, also stands out as India’s only strong-hybrid-powered car to utilise a turbo-petrol engine.The Sorento is powered by either a strong-hybrid engine that uses a 180hp, 265Nm, 1.6-litre turbo-petrol mill paired with a 65hp, 264Nm, electric motor, or a 193hp, 442Nm, 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine. Safety features include 10 airbags, dual dashcams, a 360-deg camera, level 2+ ADAS, and more.Features include dual 12.3-inch displays, head-up display, powered front seats with ventilation, driver seat memory, digital IRVM, a powered tailgate, and second-row captain seats with ventilation.
NEW SELTOS, SONET LEAD THE CHARGE IN H1 FY2027, SORENTO CHECKS IN
As a result of the stellar market performance in September, cumulative Q2 FY2027 (July-September 2026) sales grew 39% YoY to 89,259 units (Q2 FY2026: 64,443 units). Q2 was 12% better than Q1 FY2027 (79,424 units, up 19% YoY). Halfway into the current fiscal, Kia India has achieved 58% of its FY2026 sales (289,035 units). Given the current sales momentum, and the fact that the Sorento has just checked into the fast-growing midsize SUV market, Kia could go on to register a record 350,000 annual sales in FY2027.
The model-wise sales numbers (see data table above) for Kia India’s eight-UV portfolio show that the Seltos midsize SUV and Sonet compact SUV remain the main growth drivers. The new Seltos, launched in January 2026, has received a resounding market response. The 67,667 units sold in the April-September 2026 period is a 99% YoY increase (H1 FY2026: 33,955 units) and accounts for 40% of Kia India’s 168,683 units, up from the 36% model-wise share it had a year ago.
Demand for the Sonet (56,929 units) rose 21% YoY from 47,168 units in H1 FY2026 and gives the compact SUV a 34% share in first-half FY2027.
The third-ranked Carens MPV which comprises the Carens, Carens Clavis and Clavis EV together registered 34,284 units, down 18% YoY (H1 FY2026: 41,831 units), and has a 20% model-wise share compared to 32% a year ago.
Kia dispatched 7,198 Syros compact SUVs comprising the ICE model and the recently launched Syros EV which has helped improve monthly numbers. This total, however, is down 6% YoY (H1 FY2026: 7,627 units). Given the growing demand for zero-emission avatar, the cumulative Syros wholesales should enter positive territory in October for the first seven months of FY2027.
The just-launched Sorento midsize SUV checks in at No. 5 with 2,104 units – August (365 units) and September (1,739 units) – which gives it a 1% share in H1 FY2027.
Sales of the luxurious Carnival MPV (501 units) rose 18% YoY but there were no takers for the EV6 and EV9in the past six months.
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