Kia's Sept. sales rise 5.1 pct on strong SUV demand

Kia reported on October 1 that its sales increased by 5.1 percent in September compared to the same period last year, as strong demand for its SUV models boosted overall vehicle sales. The South Korean automaker sold 281,984 vehicles in September, up from 268,387 units a year earlier, according to a press release. This figure comprises military vehicle sales as well.

The surge in sales can be attributed to the popularity of the Sportage, Sorento, and Seltos SUV models, as stated by the company. Domestic sales declined by 6.7 percent to 45,705 units from 49,001 units a year earlier, while overseas sales grew by 7.5 percent to 235,457 units from 218,929 units, the carmaker reported. Military vehicle sales skyrocketed by an impressive 79.9 percent to 822 units from 457 units a year earlier.

The company has plans to maintain sales growth in the fourth quarter by introducing gasoline-hybrid models in the United States and electric models in Europe. Overall, sales from January to September rose by 4.4 percent to 2,478,144 units from 2,372,673 units in the same nine-month period in 2025.