MANILA, Philippines — Kia Philippines expects to post higher sales from a year ago, even as it cut its sales target this year.
Kia Philippines president Manny Aligada told reporters, the company which initially set a 10,000 sales target for this year, would likely close 2019 with sales of 5,000 units.
“The assumptions on getting to 10,000 unit sales target will not be there as competition has been very active. So, you ask me, if we’re going to get to 10,000, we’re not gonna get there. But there are good parts,” Aligada said citing the sales performance in the first half of the year.
He said in the January to June period, the company sold a little over 2,000 units.
“Last year, the growth of second half versus first half was about 10 percent. If we follow that trend, then, we should be arriving at a little over 5,000 for the year,” he said.
Achieving sales of 5,000 units this year would be 127 percent higher than last year’s 2,200 units.
Kia Philippines was relaunched in January as part of the Ayala Group’s automotive portfolio.
To promote the brand and achieve higher sales, the company is finalizing plans for the launch of a fourth vehicle model, the five-seater Seltos crossover sports utility vehicle (SUV) this year.
Following the good market reception for the Seltos when it was launched in India, Aligada said Kia Philippines sees potential for the product in the country.
He said the company would target young executives for the Seltos, which is eyed to be launched in the country by November.
“Assuming, we launch it this year, the full impact (on sales) is next year. So, next year, we’re more hopeful that apart from the industry getting a real normalization, our lineup will be a complete and better representation of the growing and big segments,” he said.