Kia releases sales numbers for May 2009; the 2010 Soul crossover posts record high sales after it’s fourth month on the market
Kia Motors America has just released it’s May 2009 sales report. The US arm of the rising Korean car giant (Kia Motors) has announced it has sold 26.060 new cars and trucks in the US market last month.
Kia’s May 2009 sales performance has been slightly worse when compared to the same month last year. The company experienced a 16 percent drop in new car sales, but still, it managed to fare way better than it’s Japanese rivals such as Honda and Toyota, both posting a 40 percent decrease in sales.
Kia’s top performing vehicle, in terms of monthly sales, has been - once again - the 2009 Spectra sedan. With sales of 7.896 units sold in May 2009, Spectra out-performed the Sportage compact SUV in the second spot. With 4.409 units sold, the Sportage saw it’s sales increased by 21 percent from a year ago and achieving one of it’s best ever sales results since on the market.
Kia Soul posts record-high sales in May
Launched four months ago, the uniquely styled 2010 Kia Soul urban passenger crossover has achieved a record high sales of 3.855 units in May. The Soul has seen it’s sales increased on a monthly basis ever since it’s official February introduction.
Compared to the previous month (April 2009), Soul’s sales have jumped by more than 19 percent. Since it’s arrival to the US Kia showrooms, 8.363 units have already been sold and the interest on the Soul just keeps growing, so we can expect to see even higher sales numbers in the near future.
Also new on the US market this month was the boxy Nissan Cube, which is considered to be one of the Soul’s main rivals. It’s official sales commenced on May 5th and by the end of the month Nissan dealers moved 1.745 Cubes from their lots.
Kia Forte goes on sale
The successor to the Spectra sedan is on sale now! In May, Kia dealers sold only 10 units of Forte sedan, but it’s sales are expected to pick once the Kia ships more cars to it’s dealers. The supply has been limited at the beginning of the sales and according to some Kia dealer reports, they only received up to three Fortes so far, so it will probably take a month or two until we see some higher Forte sales numbers.
Equipped with fuel efficient “Theta II” engine, the 2010 Kia Forte will be available in two variants; as a sedan and a coupe. According to Kia, only a few months from now, the 2010 Kia Forte sedan is expected to be joined by a sportier two-door Forte Koup. You can read our exclusive Kia Forte Koup test drive report here.
Kia’s May 2009 sales report also shows the sales numbers for other models. As you can see models such as Optima and Rio experienced slightly lower sales, while Sorento’s and Rondo’s sales equals the numbers achieved in the same month a year earlier.
Since January of this year, Kia has already delivered 120.559 new vehicles to the US consumers.
Kia’s May 2009 sales by model table
June 3rd, 2009 at 2:26 am
I have a question for the Kia salesmen in the group. The guy I asked at the dealer in Vegas couldn’t give me an answer. I’m very seriously considering buying a Soul but one thing is keeping me from going forward. I prefer the Soul + because I really don’t like the interior in the ! but I don’t like the wheels on the +. What I want is a + with the wheels and larger tires from the !. How can I do that? Could the dealer order a set of ! wheels and tires and add the cost to the deal?
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 am
I can’t wait until the Forte gets its first full month.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 am
Stinger yes but it will be expensive $$$
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:23 am
Most dealerships will charge big bucks to reset the wheel speed sensors, too.
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:00 am
So much for buying a Soul. I guess I’ll have to check out the Forte.
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Stinger, You can go with a set of the kia aftermarket wheels or purchase the wheels from an aftermarket wheel dealer that wouldn’t be that costly for a set of 18’s
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Does anyone know when (or if) the Soul will get the new 2.0L engine?
June 4th, 2009 at 4:48 am
It’ll most likely get that engine when it gets a mid-cycle facelift.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
As far as I know the soul is not getting any changes for a few years. Maybe some minor things. As for Stinger, go aftermarket you will save a lot of money and have a more unique soul
July 25th, 2010 at 6:09 am
i am so not impressed the told us our 2005 kia reo the engine has to be replaced,a cross bar, well im not impressed at all wtf i am telling everyone out there there crap and not to buy one . since when is that you buy a new car it has to have major repairs after a few short years!
July 26th, 2010 at 2:37 am
A 2005 Kia Rio huh needing a new engine? What did you do? Do you give the car its oil changes and tire rotations on the regualar? Did you noicte any problems before and just ignored the nosie comeign from the engine and now you have to get a new engine becausse you lack responsiblitiy? How often do you drive it? What type of fuel do you put in it? Did you have any car accidents? What is your millage? What color is it? Is it a sedan or 5 door? If you got in an accident, what got damaged? Do you have car insurance/ has it ever been stolen? Do you live in an area where it snows? Has the 2005 Kia Rio even been recalled? If it has been recalled did you take it in or just ingornored the recall? How fast do you drive? Do you dogg the engine? When you brought it new, did you dogg the engine before it was broken in? Are there any other probelems with the car besides just needing a new engine? What courntry are you from? Did you ask the dealership if it was possible to get a new car? Ar eyou keeping the car or trading it in? What made you buy a Kia? Is this your first Kia? Did the check engine light ever come on? Has the engien ever over heated? What month and year did you have to replace the engine? If you took it to the dealership for oil changes, did you ever have the engine on a diagonastices test? If so, did the workers tell you what problems well occur in the future if you didn’t get any work done to it? Do you have car insurance? has the air bags ever been inflated? How often do you drive? What did the dealership say was the matter with the engine? Why does it need a new engine? A year ago did you have a problem with the car? Two years ago did you have a problem with the car? Three years ago did you have a problem with the car? Four years ago did you have a problem with the engine? Have you had any other probmlems prior to the engine? If so what was it? Did you take it to the dealership to fix it? I can go on forever and ever. Sure I know Kia is better than they were in 2005; however, that is very young for a car to need a new engine. I remember back in 2003, a friend of my (she was a women) brought a 2002 Acura TL and didn’t do anythign but but gas in it. Well a few months later, it needed a new engine and all sorts of gadgets because of lack of responsiblity!!! That doesn’t mean that Acuras suck just like it doesn’t mean Kias suck. Lol. Nice try!!! I guess next your going to tell the your fairytell that you did keep up with oil changes and tire rotations to the car because that’s your only defense.
July 26th, 2010 at 2:44 am
After your little fairy tell story my defense to that will be I had a 2002 Kia Rio (traded it in for a 2009 Kis Spectra) and a 2004 Kia Optima (tradeded it in for a 2010 Kia Forte) and I kept up with my oil changes and tire rotations and the dealershiip let me know in advance what part was getting worn and needed to get replaced. I did alllll of that. I took great car of the car. The only reason why I traded in my 2002 Rio and 2010 Kia Forte was because I wanted to. Hey Kia back in 2002 must have been pretty cool if I’m loyal enough to make a trade eight years later!!! Hmmm, imagine that. Therefore Crystal Hansen speak for yourself.