Kia ranks 2nd in Jan.-Aug. auto sales in Britain on strong demand for Sportage SUV

Kia Motors Corp. secured the second position among auto sales in Britain from January to August, driven by the popularity of its Sportage SUV, according to industry data released on Monday. The South Korean automaker sold a total of 76,850 vehicles during the eight-month period, marking a 2.3 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year. Kia's second-place ranking was narrowly behind Volkswagen, which sold 111,830 vehicles in Britain.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that Kia was the only Asian automaker to appear in Britain's top five sellers during the period. This achievement marked a one-spot improvement for Kia compared to the previous year and positioned the company ahead of European brands like BMW and Audi.

Kia's sales in Britain have shown a consistent upward trend, surpassing the 100,000-unit mark for four consecutive years. In 2022, Kia sold 100,191 vehicles, followed by 107,765 units in 2023, 112,252 units in 2024, and 113,436 units in 2025. If this positive sales trend persists until the end of the current year, Kia is expected to surpass 100,000 annual sales for the fifth consecutive year and set a new record for British sales.

The Sportage SUV played a significant role in Kia's strong performance in Britain. It ranked second among individual models sold in the country this year, with 30,564 units sold, just behind Ford's Puma, which sold 35,968 units. The Sportage accounted for approximately 40% of Kia's total sales in Britain so far this year.