Kia increasees global salesin February 2008

Kia Motors Corporation announced today that its global sales of passenger cars, recreation vehicles and light trucks in February 2008 recorded 103.002, representing a 12.5% year-on-year increase! (See the sales teble after the jump)

By region, Kia’s posted large year-on-year sales increases in general markets (17,082 units sold, a 33.6% year-on-year increase), China (10,770 units sold, a 20.9% year-on-year increase) and Europe (26,909 units sold, a 16.7% year-on-year increase).

Meanwhile, sales of Kia vehicles in North America and Korea were 24,183 units (4.8% year-on-year decrease) and 24,058 units (12.4% year-on-year increase), respectively.

Cumulatively through the first two months of 2008, Kia’s global sales increased by 12.7% year-on-year and reached 206,120 units.

General markets have experienced the largest gain, selling 33,603 units to date representing a 36.1% increase, while the China and Europe markets have showed cumulative year-on-year sales growth of 29.5% (26,324 units sold) and 20.0% (52,752 units sold), respectively. The Korea market has also shown a cumulative year-on-year sales increase of 3.8%.

So far in 2008, Kia’s best selling model in export markets has been…

the C-segment Cerato (known also as “Spectra”) with 31,437 units sold. It is followed by a tight group of three vehicles: the Kia’s Sportage compact SUV with 22,229; the C-segment cee’d with 21,077; and the B-segment Rio with 20,491. The A-segment Picanto comes in fifth with 17,141 units sold.

By vehicle category sold overseas, Kia passenger cars sold 48,826 units in February, an increase of 19.6% year-on-year. 27,429 RV units were sold in February, a 1.1% increase year-on-year.