The Kia Sportage is the UK’s best-selling car this year, selling 4,239 units of the popular family SUV in January, according to latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Overall, Kia ended the month as the third best-selling brand with 10,207 cars sold, growing 13.2 per cent year on year, and claiming a strong 7.1 per cent market share. The UK car market grew 8.4 per cent in January year-on-year.
Leading Kia’s sales success in the UK were its Eco models (fully electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid), which accounted for over 50 per cent of sales (5,175). Kia ended the month as the second best-selling Eco car brand.
January marked the start of sales for the fully electric seven-seat EV9, which coupled with the Niro EV, EV6 and Soul EV saw Kia increase EV sales by 14 per cent year-on-year, and finish the month as the fourth most popular EV brand. Niro EV was the sixth best-selling electric car overall in an increasingly saturated segment.
President and CEO of Kia UK, Paul Philpott, commented: “These results show a fantastic start to the year and proof of Kia’s sustainable growth and momentum. We are living true to our ‘Power On’ strategy for 2024, with the Sportage topping the UK sales charts and our EVs continuing to be successful. At the centre of our success are our dealer partners, who all show high levels of commitment and determination for the Kia brand.”
Elsewhere, Kia Corporation posted total global sales of 244,940 units in January, a 4.2 per cent year-on-year increase that was also led by Sportage sales (45,905). In Europe, Kia UK contributed 22 per cent of total sales in the region, maintaining its best performing market position.
Kia has hit the ground running in 2024, starting with the reveal of three ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ (PBV) concepts at CES, Las Vegas – destined to be Kia’s first electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs).
Kia UK also renewed its long-standing partnership with the Surrey County Cricket Club and the Kia Oval for a further five years, and opened the Kia Academy; an all-new state-of-the-art technical training centre, in Derby.
Kia also became a Silver member of the Automotive 30% Club to continue to lead on equality, diversity and inclusion – extending across the business.
Kia won four awards at the 2024 What Car? Awards, including: ‘Best Family SUV’ for the Sportage; ‘Best Family Electric SUV’ for the EV6; ‘Best Electric 7-Seater’ for the EV9; and the overall ‘Tow Car Award’.
January’s sales follow Kia’s consistent success throughout 2023, which ended with 107,765 cars sold – the second consecutive year of over 100,000 sales – that made Kia the sixth best-selling brand in the UK overall.