Despite a flagging economy, car sales in the US have remained steady, with most of the major players seeing moderate increases in the in monthly sales figures. The same cannot be said for the Australian market, where new car sales have taken a backwards step with sales figures for the first quarter dropping 1.3 percent over the same time period last year.
The sole shining light in those figures was Kia, whose sales figures took a 1.7 percent jump in that same timeframe. The South Korean automaker’s biggest gains came in the small passenger car department, with sales for the Cerato up an astonishing 101 percent over last year, and 70 percent this first quarter. Also performing well in this category, was the Kia Soul with a solid 17.4 percent gain for the year.
The SUV market has taken a bit of a beating during this sales decline, yet Kia still managed to buck that trend with not just one, but two solid sales performances. The 2012 Sorento and Sportage scored a combined 17.3 percent growth in sales, a number that flew in the face of the 2.9 percent decrease the rest of the SUV market suffered.
Kia also scored in the people mover market, with sales of the Carnival accounting for almost 40 percent of the entire market, putting Kia miles ahead of its competitors in that segment. All in all, it’s fair to say that Kia has made an impact in the Australian market in much the same as it has done here in the US, and it all comes down to their approach to car making.
“It is obvious that the Australian auto industry is going through some tough times at the moment, but in tough times there are always opportunities. We have a business plan which includes refreshing, upgrading and maintaining our product range to a standard that is demanded by the Australian public. Our continued sales growth in the current climate is testament to our products and also to the support of our dealer network,” said Tony Barlow, Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer.
The strides made by Kia globally should continue on the upward path with the release of the much anticipated new version of the Kia Rio 2012, due in showrooms in September.
August 18th, 2011 at 4:29 am
Hey jtz (this is gonna be fun!), I have a picture linked into my name that was taken by MT during their visit to Namyang. There is an unfamiliar CUV parked there. What do you think it is? New Carens or new Santa Fe?
August 18th, 2011 at 4:31 am
It didn’t link. I can’t post when I put a link in there. Let’s try this: http(colon, slash, slash)www4(dot)slikomat(dot)com(slash)11(slash)0818(slash)waw-new-ca(dot)jpg
August 18th, 2011 at 5:30 am
That was a Hyundai. Maybe a Sonata hatch. I seen those on spy shots months ago. It’s not a Sante Fe because the new one on spy shots takes after the Tuscon’s greenhouse. and it’s not a Kia because no Kia concept has any elements in the greenhouse for production models to look like that. But I think it’s a hyundai model.
August 18th, 2011 at 6:23 am
Too tall to be a Sonata hatch. Way too tall.
August 18th, 2011 at 6:24 am
Veracruz replacement?
August 18th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Yeah maybe a Veracruz replacement. From That angle, it’s difficult for me to determine the height. Too bad we can’t see the front. But it would seem by mid August we would have seen Carens spy shots by now.
August 18th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
It’s an i40. I can see Kia building a Rondo out of it…if they decide to continue the Rondo/Carens line.
August 19th, 2011 at 3:15 am
I hope the do continue with the Carens. Why? 2 reasons. It’s a popular mpv in Europe and Canada. 2nd: it could be a good cue from the KV7 concept. The only problem with the Carens is it could conflict with the 3rd row Sorento and Sportage. However Kia needs some kind of MPV in the line up to tackle the FOrd C Max.
August 19th, 2011 at 6:49 am
Hey Greg, you were right. There is a totally all new redesigned Forte coming soon. In two years. So we could see the next generation Forte late next year…. maybe. Here’s the link if you want to read it for yourself. http(colon)//wot.motortrend(dot)com/seeing-kias-namyang-rd-center-new-forte-sorento-108497(dot)html
I think you are going to like what you read about the next Forte series Greg (if you don’t already know).
Wow the current Forte will only be in production for another two years. THAT’S FAST!!!
Oh yeah Kia released a tiny bit of information about that RWD COUPE for Frankfur. Hint: Is there really such a thing as a four door sedan having coupe like apperances? But wait second. That K9 on spy shots looks like a sedan and not a coupe. Hmmmmm, could Kia be working on two RWD sedans and one being a coupe like 4 door? The K9, as far as I can tell, looks as much as a sedan as the Cadenza, Sonata, and Forte.
August 19th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Kia revealed the 4 door coupe early this morning on their facebook page. Pretty sweet looking. As for the Forte, there were surely some people fired over it. Based on vehicle solidity, the Forte is the most disappointing to me out of all the vehicles in Kia’s “design-led transformation”. Not only that, they built the Forte on the old Elantra platform, even though that platform was soon to be ditched by Hyundai.
August 19th, 2011 at 11:40 am
The Forte is still a great car, it’s just when you compare it to the Apples: Soul, Sorento, Optima, Sportage, and Rio…the Forte is an orange.
August 21st, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Hey Greg there are already 2013 Kia Forte spy shots. The green house is totally redesigned. As well as the front and rear. Either go to Left Lane News or Accent Planet. The headlights are completely redesigned as well as the rear end. This bad boy is on the new Elantra platform and is expected to have mpg up to 40 mpg highway. Man Kia totally redesigned a car in less than three years!!!! That’s impressive!!!! The greenhouse looks like the K7′s greenhouse. That’s all I can make out. Oh yeah and say goodbye to the Civic’s headlights!!! These headlights look a little like the K9 spied or K7′s. So far we only saw the sedan but the hatch and Koup will continue. So come on Cruze and Focus this bad boy is gonna be ready to be the leader in it’s segment like the Rio, Optima, Sportage and Sorento.
August 21st, 2011 at 3:13 pm
The 13′ Forte’s greenhouse also looks like the K2′s and Optima’s greenhouse as well. This Korean lineup is evolving faster than Honda and Toyota can even do facelifts. So if it’s a 2013 model maybe we will see it next year. Maybe.
August 21st, 2011 at 4:52 pm
When the redesigned Forte hits retailers, I think current Forte owners should receive a special discount if we trade in our current Forte for the redesigned one. Like a 10% or 15% off.
August 23rd, 2011 at 12:09 am
2013 Kia cee’d and 2013 Kia Forte hint A pillars.
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:40 pm
Someone must have saw the next Forte completely naked because someone drew what the headlights and tailights are supposed to look like. Now all I know is the spied K9 also has a similar look in the headlights and yet doesn’t. It seems that the Forte’s headlights aren’t exactly what you think. The headlights touch the grille…. But, only a narrow horizontal piece does. When you look at the K9′s headlights you will notice it to has a narrow part that also goes to the grille. When looking at both the Forte and K9 it makes you want to rip the cover off because those lines makes your eyes follow it. Kia’s signature headlights are evolving from regular horizontal to more of Kia’s own design language…. Unlike Honda who just have ordinary horizantal headlights for four years and still have not evolved them. Same for Toyota as well after all the 12′ Camary’s headlights are either from the Acura TSX or Corolla. Nothing new with Toyota or Honda. Same goes for the new Lexus GS. The tailights is a down grade. The front end too all a down grade. Infact BMW 530 XI and 2012 Lexus GS hint side profiles. But only the Genesis was the copy ignoring the Japanese makes. 2011 Nissan Maxima and 2012 Lexus GS hint grilles. 2nd generation Saturn Ion and Mecury Couger hint headlights.
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:47 pm
So you see the RWD Sedan concept will be ready to eat that 2012 GS for breakfast. The current GS looked better. I understand thewomant every Lexus model to look alike now but come on the tailights could have been an evolved version of the IS’ tailights. The backend also copied the 09′ Sonata’s. Keep your figures crossed that Lexus does not mess up the IS.