Kia Sonet, Carens to get expensive from July

• Kia India to hike prices by up to 2 per cent from 1 July
• Cost increases of up to Rs 2.6 lakh across the entire lineup
• Buyers should book Seltos, Sonet or Carens before the hike starts

Kia India has confirmed a price hike of up to 2% across its entire lineup from July 1 and that means anyone eyeing a Seltos, Sonet or Carens right now

is genuinely better off booking before the month ends. The hike could add as much as Rs 2.6 lakh depending on the model and variant and the company's blaming it on rising input costs and higher operational expenses, the same explanation nearly every carmaker in India has given this year. It's worth understanding exactly how this breaks down before you head to a dealership, since the increase won't be uniform across every Kia model on sale.

How Much More Will You Actually Pay?

Kia hasn't broken down exact numbers model by model yet, but going by what's already on the price list, the increase will land differently depending on where you're shopping. The Sonet currently runs from Rs 7.33 lakh to Rs 14.18 lakh, the Seltos from Rs 11 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, and the Carens from Rs 11.02 lakh to Rs 12.88 lakh, all ex-showroom. A 2% hike on the priciest Seltos variant works out to roughly Rs 40,000 more, while the cheapest Sonet trim sees a smaller jump, somewhere in the range of Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000. Kia says it's absorbing part of the cost increase itself rather than passing all of it on, though it hasn't said how much.

Is It Just Kia, Or Is Everyone Doing It?

Not just Kia. Tata Motors, Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki have all raised prices on parts of their range earlier this year, citing similar cost pressures, so this isn't an isolated move. If you're cross-shopping the Seltos against something like the Hyundai Creta or a Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, expect those price lists to keep shifting too over the coming months. For buyers already close to finalising a Kia purchase, the smart move is locking in a booking before July 1, since prices typically don't drop back down once a hike like this kicks in, regardless of how the broader market moves afterward. Worth keeping in mind too, this is Kia's full lineup we're talking about, the Syros, Carens Clavis, Carens Clavis EV, Carnival, EV6 and EV9 are all part of this revision as well, not just the three models getting the most attention.