Kia is threatening to overtake Ford and Mitsubishi this year and claim a top-four position among the biggest-selling brands as buyers turn to its ever-improving and expanding range led by the new-generation Kia Sorento SUV now on sale.
The all-new Kia Stonic crossover is also expected to launch in December, setting the brand up for a strong finish in a market where it does not yet have a ute that would take its sales to another level altogether.
The long-awaited Kia pick-up isn’t due until 2022 at the earliest, but even without it, the South Korean car-maker is faring better than its major rivals during this year’s steep sales downturn due to COVID-19.
It has also increased its market share – now at 6.3 per cent, up from 5.7 per cent at this point last year – as others stumble.
Kia posted 5092 sales in September to place fourth overall for the month, just 181 units behind its traditionally dominant Korean sister brand Hyundai (5273), and ahead of Ford (4816) and Mitsubishi (4179).
Toyota was in its accustomed position, well out in front with 12,936 sales in September, while Mazda posted an even 7000 units for the month to be a clear second.
For the year to date, Kia has racked up 40,696 sales, placing sixth but with a clear line of sight to fifth-placed Ford on 40,938 (+242) and fourth-placed Mitsubishi on 41,957 (+1261). Hyundai is further ahead in third with 45,219 sales (+4523).
Kia’s continuing strong performance in the market is due in no small part to the all-new Kia Seltos small SUV launched late last year, which has chimed in with more than 6700 incremental sales in 2020 – almost 1100 of those recorded last month alone.
The new Kia Sorento large SUV that launched last month also had an immediate impact, attracting 569 buyers in just its first few weeks on sale.
The new Sorento now stands as a class leader in overall terms too, winning a carsales comparison test against the benchmark Mazda CX-9.
In terms of sheer volume, the Kia Cerato continued to underpin the brand’s overall performance in September with 1599 sales – more than the Toyota Corolla (1462), Mazda3 (1134), and second only to the Hyundai i30 (1786) in not just the small car segment, but the entire passenger car sector.
All of this bodes well for Kia making a strong run home to the December 31 finish line, and pushing ahead further next year as it brings more new models to market such as the all-new Kia Sportage mid-size SUV and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Sorento.
