We are aiming to launch the Sonet this year

WHEN KIA MOTORS entered the Indian market last July with the Seltos sports utility vehicle, everyone thought the timing could not have been worse.

- Abhinav Singh

The sector was suffering from an unprecedented slowdown and all the carmakers were struggling to deal with it. But Kookhyun Shim, managing director and chief executive officer of Kia Motors India, had his homework done, and the Seltos propelled Kia to the fourth spot in terms of sales, beating the likes of Toyota and Honda, in a few months. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Shim talks about the success, the opportunity in the Indian market and plans for the future.

Q/ What worked for Kia in India?

A/ Because of the evolving preferences of consumers, the dynamics of the automotive market are changing rapidly. Therefore, it has become critical for any automaker to offer a variety of options along with the best of quality, safety and facility to consumers. To be successful in the Indian market, an automaker should be present across segments for customers to have multiple options. When we entered the Indian market, we conducted exhaustive market and customer research and were able to identify the unmet needs of India. By doing this we were able to plan our products and services in the country in a much better way. Our first product in India, the Seltos, has helped us in achieving the tag of the fourth largest carmaker in the country. We have received more than one lakh bookings and have delivered more than 60,000 units till date.