MT Bureau

The new Kia K5 is a fastback evolution of Kia’s global best-selling sedan, combining a striking new design with driver-focused interior, cutting-edge technologies, and new powertrain options. It will go on-sale in many markets during the first half of 2020.

Thomas Schemera, Head of Product Division, Kia Motors Corporation, said, “When we launched K5 in 2010, it marked the dawn of a new era for Kia, with a design which heralded a change in how the brand was perceived in markets globally. Now, two generations later, we believe the new K5 will do the same. With a fastback design, the new K5 is one of the sportiest cars that we have ever created. With its comprehensive range of cutting-edge technologies, revised engines and transmissions, and a luxurious new interior, it is also one of the most advanced. K5 will play a central role in strengthening Kia’s presence in the global sedan segment and represent Kia’s transformation into a creator of desirable, world-class cars.”

Exterior Design

K5 presents Kia’s next generation design direction and a new fastback sedan silhouette. It was designed in collaboration among its design studios in North America, Europe and Korea. 

The front of the car is characterized by an evolution of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’, integrating its LED headlamps into the grille, with a ‘heart beat’ daytime running light signature expressing the raised levels of emotion the car is meant to inspire. K5 features a more aggressive front, with the grille nestled beneath a subtle overhang on the hood’s leading edge, parenthesized by angular air curtains and a wider air intake in the lower half of the bumper.

In profile, the K5 displays a greater sense of muscularity, with the body narrowing slightly at the midpoint between wheel arches – inspired by the ‘coke bottle’ shape of the Stinger’s body. The shoulder line gradually rises, narrowing the glasshouse towards the rear of the car and giving the car a sportier, ‘lean-forward’ stance when viewed from the side.

The car also features a modern interpretation of the chrome window line that has historically adorned executive sedans. Topped by this flash of chrome, its rear also has a new lighting signature. The light units have a new LED daytime running light which spans the width of the rear deck.

The new K5 is available with a choice of 16, 17 and 18-inch machine-cut aluminium alloy wheel designs and a wide range of paint colours. K5 GT models will also be offered with a 19-inch wheel design, more aggressive front and rear bumpers, special ‘GT’ badges, and dual twin exhaust tips.

 The Interior

Elegant by design, and with a timeless, minimalist layout, the interior of the new K5 provides the driver and passengers a peaceful retreat in which to spend time. The futuristic driver-oriented interior of the new K5 is trimmed in a selection of tactile materials.  

The wide dashboard shape is characterized by the integration of Kia’s latest infotainment systems, showing the next-generation design language that the brand will adopt across other models in the future. The new car sports a wide infotainment display which is physically attached to the instrument cluster in front of the driver. In certain models, the optional 10.25-inch touchscreen sits alongside Kia’s new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. 

Additional technologies are subtly integrated into the cabin of the K5, with an available Mood Lighting system, emitting soft ambient light from panels in the doors and crash pad, and wireless phone charging. K5 also features a powerful 12-speaker BOSE surround-sound audio system.

The cabin of the new K5’s can be upholstered in a wide range of single and two-tone colour schemes, with cloth, synthetic leather and leather options. The dashboard is finished in a series of metallic and wood-effect surfaces depending on vehicle specification.

Performance

The new K5 is available with a range of new ‘Smartstream’ powertrains from Kia, and – for the first time – a new all-wheel drive system available with certain engines. Its powertrain delivers greater confidence, better efficiency and more refinement in performance than ever. The new car remains front-wheel drive as standard.

The new K5 is available with a choice of gasoline engines. For customers in North America and Kia’s domestic Korean market, a new ‘Smartstream’ 1.6-liter T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) engine is available, featuring Kia’s new Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology. 

Other engine options include 2.0-liter MPI (multi-point injection) engine (152 ps, 192 Nm); 2.0-liter engine with continuously-variable valve lift (CVVL) technology (160 ps, 196 Nm); and 2.5-liter GDi engine (194 ps, 246 Nm). As with previous generations of K5, hybrid powertrain options will also be available.

All engines are paired as standard with six or eight-speed automatic transmissions, while the 2.5-liter T-GDi engines are also available with Kia’s new eight-speed wet double-clutch transmission (8DCT). 

The new K5 offers a tailored driving experience thanks to its Drive Mode Select system, which enables drivers to adapt the car’s acceleration, steering and gear shift characteristics on the fly. ‘Smart’, ‘Comfort’, ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Custom’ modes allow drivers to alternately maximize fuel efficiency, refine the handling experience, or enhance the responses of their vehicle to driver inputs.

Technologies

The K5’s suite of advanced safety, connectivity and infotainment technologies make it one of the most high-tech, comprehensively-equipped cars in its class. Its voice recognition software allows drivers to use voice commands to control a range of features in the car, including climate control, electric windows, heating for the steering wheel, seats and rear glass, and the audio system. 

The cabin incorporates an optional 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, incorporating audio-visual navigation, and Kia’s new 12.3-inch high-resolution digital instrument cluster, providing crystal-clear information to the driver.

The new car is also available with an 8.0-inch head-up display, which projects driving information on to a small glass panel in the driver’s line of sight. The system displays alerts from the car’s numerous driver assistance technologies, details of vehicle speed, and turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

Safety

The new K5 has a range of passive and active safety and driver assist systems, protecting occupants and other road users on every journey. Kia’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) help reduce many of the inherent hazards and stresses of driving.

Depending on market and vehicle specifications, the ADAS range in the new K5 includes Forward Collision-avoidance Assist (FCA), Blind-spot View Monitor (BVM) with Surround View Monitor (SVM) and Blind-spot Collision-avoid Assist (BCA), Smart Cruise Control (SCC) or Navigation-based SCC (NSCC), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), and Highway Driving Assist (HDA).

Kia’s ‘Level 2’ autonomous driving technology, Lane Following Assist (LFA), controls steering depending on the vehicles in front. LFA uses camera to monitor road markings to keep the K5 in the centre of its lane. In addition, the K5 features a Rear View Monitor (RVM) with Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA) and Rear Cross-traffic Collision-avoidance Assist (RCCA).The new K5 is also the first Kia available with the company’s new Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), 

The K5 is fitted with up to nine airbags, as well as a suite of electronic vehicle safety systems. All K5 models are equipped as standard with Kia’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Electronic Stability Control, helping drivers maintain control under braking and cornering. (MT)

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Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has announced it will present the Indian Women’s Cricket Team with the first lot of the soon-to-be-launched Tata Sierra SUV following their victory at the ICC Women's World Cup. The Tata Sierra is slated to be launched on 25^th November.

The company will gift the top-end model of the Sierra to each team member as part of its salute to the team’s journey and contribution to the country.

Shailesh Chandra, MD and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has made the entire nation proud with their extraordinary performance and remarkable win. Their journey stands as a true testament to determination and the power of belief, qualities that inspire every Indian. At Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, we are privileged to present these legends with another legend, The Tata Sierra. This is our salute to their spirit and the pride they have brought to the nation – Two legends, One spirit, Infinite inspiration.”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone by crossing the 30-million-unit sales milestone in the domestic market.

The new benchmark was attained by the company over a course of 42 years, with the first 10 million unit sales taking 28 years and 2 months to achieve.

The 20 million unit sales took 7 years and 5 months, while the recent milestone took just 6 years and 4 months.

Interestingly, the entry-level hatchback Alto was the most preferred model in the country, with over 4.7 million units sold, followed by Wagon R with 3.4 million units and the sporty Swift with 3.2 million units.

The Brezza and Fronx SUVs also played an instrumental role in contributing to the sales milestone, being featured among the top 10 models sold in the country.

It was on 14^th December 1983, Maruti Suzuki India delivered its first model, the iconic Maruti 800, to its first customer.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “When I look at the length and breadth of India and think that 3 crore customers have placed their trust in Maruti Suzuki to realise their dream of mobility, it fills me with humility and gratitude. Yet, with car penetration at approximately 33 vehicles per 1,000 people, we know our journey is far from over. We will continue to make every possible effort to bring the joy of mobility to as many people as we can, while also be an asset to both the economy and the environment at the same time.”

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American electric vehicle maker Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal, former Chief Business Officer of Classic Legends, as its new business head, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The report further stated that Agarwal joined the EV maker a week ago and is tasked to drive sales for Tesla in India, which as per industry observers, has not performed as per the company’s expectations.

Agarwal, an automotive industry veteran, had begun his career with TVS Motor Co as Area Sales Manager in December 2002, before joining Mahindra First Choice Wheels as its Business Head for North and Eastern region in March 2007.

It was in January 2013, he moved to Audi India as the head of Sales, before taking over as the head of Lamborghini India in April 2016, where he spent almost 9 years, before joining Classic Legends.

During his tenure at Lamborghini, the Italian super luxury car maker saw its dealerships across India achieved a Return on Sales (RoS) of more than 10 percent, setting a new benchmark for the automotive business in the country. He also grew India’s ranking for the automaker as the third market globally in terms of PR visibility in 2021.

He also expanded Lamborghini India’s reach to over 60 cities, with sales volumes from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributing more than 25 percent of the total.

Tesla, which formally started deliveries in September 2025 with its first dealership in Mumbai and the second facility in Delhi, has till date delivered 114 vehicles, of the estimated 600-plus bookings.

File photo for representational purposes only.

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Mumbai-headquartered business conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its financial results for Q2 FY2026 with consolidated Revenue reaching INR 461 billion, marking a 22 percent YoY growth.

The consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at INR 36 billion, a 16 percent increase YoY. The company stated that, excluding specific one-time impacts, PAT growth was 28 percent YoY.

Mahindra’s Auto business reported sales of 262,000 vehicles, up 13 percent, which includes around 146,000 SUV sales. This translated to a revenue of INR 271 billion, up 25 percent YoY, while net profit came at INR 15 billion, up 8 percent YoY.

On the other hand, the farm sector reported its highest ever Q2 market share at 43 percent with sales of 123,000 units, up 32 percent YoY. The revenue came at INR 102 billion, up 25 percent, while consolidated net profit came at INR 11 billion, up 45 percent YoY.

Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “We are pleased with the strong execution and solid performance delivered across the group in Q2 FY2026. Auto and Farm sustained their leadership with consistent gains in market share and profitability. TechM is progressing well on its transformation journey. MMFSL achieved a 45 percent PAT growth and remains committed to quality growth and digital transformation. Our Growth Gems are steadily advancing towards their ambitious goals, reinforcing our long-term value creation potential.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Strong performance of our Auto and Farm businesses continues in Q2 FY2026 reinforcing our leadership position, with a gain of 390 bps YoY in SUV revenue share, and 100 bps YoY in LCV (< 3.5T) market share. In Tractors, we gained 50 bps YoY to reach 43 percent market share. Our Auto Standalone PBIT margin (excl. e-SUV Contract Mfg.) improved by 80 bps to 10.3 percent and core Tractor PBIT margins improved by 190 bps to 20.6 percent.”

Amarjyoti Barua, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, “Our solid Q2 consolidated results reflects the strength of our diversified portfolio. We continue to deliver on our strategic priorities. We had strong cash generation in the first half, delivering over INR 100 billion of operating cash flow. We remain committed to sustainable growth and value creation.”

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