Kia sales climb 61% over seven months

Booming demand across Europe for its Picanto, Sorento (pictured), Sportage and Cerato models during July, pushed Kia Motors sales up 42% last month to almost 24,000 vehicles. Sales for the first seven months of 2005 reached almost 160,000 (159,925) units - 61% higher than the Kia brand achieved in same period of 2004.

In July, Kia´s popular A-Segment small car, the Picanto, continued to be the marque´s best-seller with deliveries to 7,458 customers. The new Sportage compact SUV (3,521 sales) overtook the award-winning Sorento mid-size 4x4 (3,226 sales). Boosted by availability of the excellent 1.5-litre diesel engine, the B-Segment Cerato attracted 2,512 customers, pushing the Carnival MPV into fourth place in Kia´s own sales league table with 2,381 sales. Total sales for July were 23,556 units.

"Once again Kia´s monthly sales performance in Europe has confirmed how well our modern products are now in tune with the needs and tastes of European consumers," enthused Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe. "Our expanding dealer network is attracting more and more customers who are new to the Kia brand and with supplies of the all-new Rio arriving at showrooms this month, we expect to continue our highly successful 2005."

So far this year, Picanto tops Kia sales with a total of 49,534 units delivered, heading the Sorento (24,740 units), and Sportage (23,990).

During July the leading European markets for Kia were Spain (5,011 sales, up 59%), Germany (4,042, 61%), Italy (3,614, 36%), and France (+ 70%). For the seven months of 2005, year-to-date, Kia´s total sales in the leading European countries were Spain (26,642 units, up 75%), Germany (24,201, 45%), Italy (23,999, 61%), the UK (23,097, 29%), the Netherlands (11,873, 45%) and France (10,230, 114%) which achieved the highest growth rate of a major market, thanks to popularity of the diesel-engined Cerato and Sportage.

Mr Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice-President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation, com-mented, "Kia´s global sales performance through the first seven months of this year show that we are well on target to meet our annual goal. With the all-new Rio coming on sale in Europe, I am confident we will maintain our sales momentum throughout 2005."