Kia Motors America announces April 2009 sales
For the past three months, Kia has been, in addition to Hyundai and Subaru, one of the hottest performers -in terms of new car sales – on the US market with sales slightly up when compared to same period of last year. While other automakers were loosing ground, Kia managed to increase both it’s sales and market share. And while we hoped the positive sales momentum to continue, it was April last month when Kia posted it’s first sales decline this year.
With sales lower by 14%, the company still managed to fare better than most of the brands. In April 2009, Kia dealers moved 25.606 units from their showrooms which means Kia sold approximately 4.000 units less than in April 2008.
Leading the US sales was a “soon-to-be-replaced” Spectra sedan with more than 7.000 units sold. It was followed by a sub-compact Rio and Soul crossover in second and third spot respectively. April’s Kia sales-by-model table reveals the company has sold a record number of Soul urban crossovers in April.
With 3.228 units sold, the Soul became the third most popular Kia vehicle in the US market. The 2010 Kia Soul was launched at the end of February and by the end of the month 34 Soul were sold. But already next month, it’s sales passed the 1.000 units mark and now, in it’s third month on sale it crossed a record high 3.000 units! Since it’s February arrival, 4.508 Souls were sold already.
May 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I saw my first Soul on Sunday. Granted we were doing about 110km/h or so on the highway as we went past, but still it look bloody fantastic. I must make my way to the dealer near me and have a good look at the Soul and Cerato. Been seeing more and more Cerato’s around too, come to think of it.
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Good to see the Soul is doing as well as it is in the United States.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
even more impressive in Canada where they sold 1,1017 Soul’s and also when you realize that this vehicle is not discounted like the ’09 models.
KIA Canada is up 15% over April ’08 and they even sold 31 Forte’s too.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I haven’t seen either of these cars mentioned above on the road, as yet.
May 5th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
So far this year, Hyundai/Kia have passed Nissan/Infiniti to become the 6th largest automaker in the US. It’s tight, though–less than 3,000 sales separate the two firms for the first four months of 2009.
May 5th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
HI
it very inportant to you when you restady my problems due since bought a vehicle a lot of my money has been lost for full cash car payment and fixing lot of time the car brak down the 2001 Kia carnival. please I waiting your advise Am leaving in Saudi Arabia.
thanks
Ali
May 5th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
You bought a used car and are having issues. Whose fault is that?
May 5th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
I say it’s time Kia and Hyundai report as the HKAG. If they’re going to be outselling Nissan anyway, reporting together will make them, and not Nissan, the ones appearing in stories in regular media about auto sales. That will get the point across to potential customers that lots of other folks are buying Hyundais and Kias and will likely lead to even more sales.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
The Borregos didn’t sell that bad neither. They almost reached 500. I bet if April was 31 days long, it would have achieved that reach.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I saw another Borrego coming in at the Giant Eagle Parking lot. It was silver. So I’m begining to seem them. I also seen many 09′ Optimas too. To bad they want advertise them.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
How could I forget, I’m seeing Kia Souls like crazy. Usually when Kia comes out with a new model, I don’t start seeing a new Kia model until 1 or 2 months later. I saw 4 this month.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Wait for a few more months and you’ll see Souls everywhere! It’s becoming one of the most popular cars in the US. Too bad Kia’s production is limited to 50.000 units (NA market) only. I bet if there were 100.000 units available, all would be sold out…
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I did not expect Borrego to be a great selling vehicle, but still, sales bellow 500 units is dissapointing!! I hoped Kia will sell 1000-1500 units each month. It’s a pitty, because it’s one of the best Kias out there at the moment.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Himi, that is an understatement. Look at the detail and time put into the Borrego, then take a look at the 4Runner, Pilot, and Explorer, and the Borrego is just amazing. If every customer looked at a Borrego before they looked at a 4Runner, Pilot, or Explorer, they would not sell a single one of the latter. Kia did a good job marketing, but they missed it. Luxury SUV? Maybe, but ultra-quality value SUV is more like it. Or Kia should do a side by side comparison. I want to be VP or marketing at Kia, I could move out so many more cars.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
The Sedona has been the most popular car i have been seeing on the road in the chicago land area. I see a few souls but not many.
May 10th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Himi, I see SOULs everywhere already; at least here in Ohio.
If Hyundai/KIA gets higher sales in the US they will move from being the 5th Largest Automaker in the World, to the 2nd Largest Automaker in the World in 5 years time. This European offensive will get them there faster.