New Delhi:
Reaffirming its reputation as one of India’s most tech-forward carmakers, Kia India has crossed a landmark that many brands are still buffering towards—over 500,000 connected cars now plying Indian roads. That’s half a million vehicles quietly syncing, updating, listening and occasionally reminding owners that yes, the car does know more than them.
This impressive milestone reflects strong customer adoption of Kia’s intelligent mobility ecosystem, with Connected Car variants contributing nearly 40% of Kia India’s domestic wholesale volumes. Powered by Kia Connect 2.0 with ccNC, the achievement underlines the brand’s growing dominance in delivering seamless, digital-first mobility experiences—where your car is no longer just parked, it’s logged in.
Seltos Leads the Charge, Others Follow the Signal Bars
True to form, the ever-popular Kia Seltos (figuratively speaking—still very much a car) continues to be Kia’s connected car poster child, contributing around 70% of total Connected Car sales. Not far behind are the Kia Sonet and the family-favourite Kia Carens, proving that whether it’s urban hustle or highway hauls, Indian buyers want their cars smart, responsive and app-friendly.
“Retention That Speaks Louder Than Downloads”
Commenting on the milestone, Mr. Atul Sood, Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Kia India, noted that Kia’s technology leadership goes well beyond feature checklists.
“Our focus on connected features and customer engagement initiatives such as Kia Drive Green has strengthened adoption across our ecosystem. What truly stands out is strong customer retention even beyond the complimentary subscription period—clear proof that Kia Connect delivers real, long-term value.”
In simple terms: customers are renewing because they like it—not because the app nags them.
Features That Indians Actually Use (Yes, Really)
Kia’s connected tech success isn’t built on gimmicks. Some of the most frequently used features include:
- Connected Car Navigation Cockpit – Intuitive interfaces, seamless connectivity and advanced OTA updates that keep cars digitally fresh
- Plant Over-The-Air (OTA) Updates – Cars roll out of the factory already updated, not asking for one on Day 2
- OTA Software Updates with Remote Diagnostics – Fewer dealership visits, more couch-based troubleshooting
- Digital Key 2.0 – Smartphone or smartwatch-based access via UWB or NFC (keys are officially optional now)
- Surround View Monitor (SVM) – A 360-degree vehicle view on your phone, because curiosity doesn’t stop when the car is parked
- Multilingual Voice Recognition – Voice commands in English, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali, with more languages on the way—India-ready, literally
EVs Go Fully Connected—No Exceptions
With electric vehicles entering the portfolio, Kia has doubled down on connectivity, achieving 100% connected car penetration in its EV lineup. EV owners also get access to smart, sustainability-focused features such as:
- Drive Green – A gamified platform that visualises eco-impact through virtual tree growth (saving the planet, one pixel at a time)
- Kia Smart Connected Home Chargers – Fast, connected chargers offered in 7.4 kW and 11 kW options for smarter home charging
The Bigger Picture
As India’s automotive landscape becomes increasingly digital, Kia’s 5-lakh connected car milestone signals a clear shift: buyers no longer see connectivity as a luxury—it’s an expectation. And if your car can update itself, talk back in your language and show you a 360-degree view from miles away, well… welcome to the future. It’s already parked outside.
