Kia India, one of the fastest-growing mass-market premium carmaker in the country, has reported sales of 23,523 units in September 2024, marking over 17 percent YoY growth compared to the 20,022 units sold for the same period last year.

The company states that the newly launched Sonet continues as Kia's best-selling model, with 10,335 units sold, followed by the Seltos and Carens, with 6,959 and units 6,217 respectively.

In Q3CY2024, Kia India reported sales of 66,553 units, marking almost 10 percent growth over the Q2 sales this year. Sonet contributed 45 percent followed by Seltos and Carens, with 28 percent and 27 percent, respectively.

In terms of exports, the company shipped 2,006 units.

Hardeep Singh Brar, Sr. VP and Head of Sales and Marketing, Kia India said, "Our continuous exceptional sales performance is driven by the overwhelming response from customers during the festive season of Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam. This success is a testament to the unparalleled customer experience our team consistently delivers. We have also prioritised expanding our touchpoints, ensuring that our best-in-class mobility solutions are accessible to all our customers across the country. As we move into festival period, our refreshed product line 2 newly introduced Gravity trims will provide much needed impetus for high festival sales”.

The automaker states its upcoming launches of the Carnival Limousine Plus and EV9 mark the beginning of Kia 2.0, an initiative focused on redefining modern and future-oriented mobility solutions. 

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Zeekr Intelligent Technology has completed its merger with Keystone Mergersub, a subsidiary of Geely Automobile. Following the transaction, Zeekr has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Geely and has ceased trading as a public company.

The merger follows the agreement dated 15 July 2025 and received shareholder approval during an extraordinary general meeting on 15 September 2025.

At the effective time of the merger, outstanding ordinary shares of Zeekr were cancelled. Shareholders were provided with the option to receive one of the following:

• Cash Option: USD 2.687 per ordinary share.
• Stock Option: 1.23 newly issued ordinary shares of Geely per Zeekr share.

For holders of American Depositary Shares (ADS), each representing ten ordinary shares, the compensation was set at:

• Cash Option: USD 26.87 per ADS.
• Stock Option: 12.3 Geely shares per ADS, delivered as Geely American depositary shares.

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Japanese luxury carmaker Lexus India has announced a performance update for its LM 350h luxury MPV, recording a 40 percent growth in November 2025. Cumulatively, the model saw a 15 percent increase in sales from January to November 2025 compared to the same period in the previous year.

The LM 350h is positioned in the luxury mobility segment, targeting high-net-worth individuals. The vehicle is available in four-seater and seven-seater configurations and is designed as a mobile lounge.

The vehicle utilises hybrid technology to provide a silent ride and handling characteristics tailored for rear-seat comfort. The design follows the Lexus philosophy of Omotenashi (hospitality), focusing on the cabin environment.

Lexus India provides a service suite for owners, which includes:

• Lexus Luxury Care: Service packages available in Comfort, Relax, and Premiere tiers.
• Warranty: An 8-year vehicle warranty.
• Support: 5-year Roadside Assistance.

Demand for the LM 350h has been recorded across major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Hikaru Ikeuchi, President, Lexus India, said, “We are deeply grateful to our guests for the confidence they place in Lexus and for their continued support and enthusiasm for the Lexus LM 350h. The vehicle represents the ultimate in grandeur and refinement, where space, quietness, and the assurance of advanced hybrid technology come together, allowing guests to discover a new benchmark in luxury mobility. This sustained pan-India demand, from cities such as Delhi and Mumbai as well as Hyderabad, and Chennai, reflects a growing preference for thoughtfully designed private luxury lounges on wheels. As we look ahead, our priority remains to strengthen this connection through innovations that further enrich the Lexus journey in India.”

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Global NCAP, the automotive safety watchdog, has announced the latest results for its #SaferCarsForIndia campaign, with two models from Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, receiving mixed results.

The latest crash test result saw Global NCAP awarding the Maruti Suzuki Celerio a three-star rating for adult occupant protection following the inclusion of six airbags as standard. A previous version of the vehicle, equipped with two airbags, had received two stars for adult occupant safety and one star for child protection.

The technical evaluations of the six-airbag Celerio indicated protection levels ranging from good to marginal. The assessment noted that both the footwell and the bodyshell were unstable. Tests also showed exposure of children’s heads during front and side impacts.

On the other hand, the company’s popular sedan model the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz received a 1-star rating in the same assessment. The report for this model highlighted:

• The absence of side head protection.
• An unstable footwell and bodyshell.
• A lack of three-point seatbelts in all seating positions.

In contrast, Global NCAP reported that the new Dzire and Victoris models achieved five-star ratings.

Richard Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Global NCAP, said, “We are encouraged that Maruti Suzuki is committed to improving safety with five star performance for new models like the Dzire and Victoris, it remains disappointing however that some legacy models fall short.”

The results follow a commitment from Maruti Suzuki to increase safety standards across its future vehicle range.

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CARS24 has announced the promotion of Divanshu Saxena to Chief Business Officer (CBO) of its NBFC arm, CARS24 Financial Services.

In his new role, Saxena will oversee the strategy, growth and execution of the financial services division. His responsibilities include scaling lending operations, managing risk and maintaining profitability as the company develops its financial services platform.

Saxena previously managed the consumer financing business for LOANS24. During his tenure, the division recorded growth in finance penetration and contributions from non-retail lending. The company noted that his work focused on unit economics and portfolio quality.

Ruchit Agarwal, Co-Founder & Group CFO, CARS24, said, “Divanshu has played a pivotal role in building CARS24 Financial Services into a strong and institutionally sound business. His disciplined approach to growth, deep understanding of lending economics, and consistent execution have laid a solid foundation for scale. We are proud to elevate leaders from within, and as CBO, Divanshu will be central to shaping the next phase of growth for LOANS24.”

Before joining CARS24, Saxena served as a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) within the Financial Services and Industrial Goods practice. He is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, where he graduated with a silver medal, and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), University of Delhi.

Divanshu Saxena said, “Building LOANS24 has been about creating a lending business that balances speed with discipline and growth with resilience. As CBO, my focus will be on scaling responsibly, strengthening our fundamentals, and continuing to build a financial services platform that earns long-term trust from customers and partners.”

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