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Kia sales August 2011
Kia Motors America reports best-ever August sales of 41.188 units, a 26 percent increase over the same month a year ago!
Brisk sales of new Kia vehicles, including new Sorento crossover and Optima mid-size sedan have helped Kia Motors America to set an all-time sales record for the month of August.
Kia’s total sales for the month of August 2011 stood at 41.188 units, up 26.9 percent increase over the same period last year. With year-to-date sales up 39 percent, Kia Motors America is well on track to set a new sales record in the USA.
The August 2011 sales were once again led by the 2012 Kia Sorento CUV, which posted its all-time best sales for the second-consecutive month (13.573 units sold). The all-new Optima sedan, Soul crossover and Forte compact car also performed well last month with sales totaling 6.157, 6.885 and 6.677 units, respectively.
“Kia has achieved new sales records each month for a full year and has become one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. due to significant increases in consumer awareness, perception and consideration of the brand created by our diverse and exciting lineup of cars and CUVs,” said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of KMA and KMMG.
With increased supply of the all-new Optima sedan, which is now built at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia and the all-new Rio just around the corner, we expect Kia to maintain its sales momentum throughout the second half of the year.
Kia sales by model – August 2011:
Kia Canada also reported their best August ever with a 6.9% increase and a 20.5% increase YTD.
Sorento reported a 71.6% increase over August 2010
Sportage reported a 97.5% increase over August 2010
Soul up 41.9% increase over the previous year
All these explosive sales figures and the (best) is still to come. Prepare for a “Sonic Boom” as soon as the 2012 Kia Rio5 is launched. With each car carrier Ship holding almost 4800 vehicles and a trip taking from 17 to 20 days to arrive in port at either Tacoma, WA or B.C. Kia is building up inventory before it goes on sale. Be prepared for either “Price Gouging” or a bit of a wait till the commotion abates. Anyone have a “hook” at a South Florida Kia Dealership?
The 2012 Rio will not be available in any volume in the US. Kia wants to sell more of the outgoing Forte model and they like the exchange rate better in Europe. I have been told by my Kia District Rep that the Rio will be small numbers for 2012.
top 10 best selling SUV’s in the USA for August 2011. Sorento was #4
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/09/usa-best-selling-suv-august-2011.html
I also have spoken with a district rep. Kia will make less than 75,000 available the first year, and price it pretty high so the Forte looks like a better deal. Rio is a tool to sell Fortes, Sportage is a tool to sell Sorentos. Marketing is great, isn’t it!?
Greg, if only 75,000 Kia Rio5 and Rio Sedans are available for the 2012 Model Year, that strategy may not work as planned. I, like many other potential buyers will not be persuaded to switch our preference to another model due to limited availability. If that happens to me, I will forfeit the Kia Rio5 purchase and buy a Elantra Sedan or their soon to be released, Elantra Hatchback before I`m switched into a Forte. Just saying……most folks know what they want and a slick Car Salesperson will (not) be able to put us into another vehicle so easily. If one wants a B Segment car, (sub-compact) they will simply go to another Brand be it a Hyundai Accent or the new GM Chevy entrant .
They know they can sell more Rios than 6k per month but they can only build so many and the exchange rate is better in Europe and in the home market. The Forte is being replaced and they want to sell as many of the old design as they can so they can justify the r&d cost before moving on.
KMA should not get complacent with it Sales improvement. To keep the momentum going in the right direction, better have their Sohari Rio Plant in Korea ramp up production to 3 shifts and keep the inventory levels where they need to be so that demand is satisfied. Assuming consumers will purchase (any) Kia vehicle if the 2012 Rio is not available will be an assumption that proves to be ill conceived. Limited availability will only cause Kia Dealerships to hoard the 2012 Kia Rio`s and attempt to sell them for huge margins over MSRP, with so called “Limited Availability Surcharges”. That in turn will damage the entire Kia Brand.
I say the Rio sells 2200 units in its first full month.
I’ll say the Rio sells 1990 units in its first full month, just to be a minimalist.
I think you all are just shooting Darts into the night. I think Kia will sell as many Rio5`s as are available in its inventory during the first month of its launch. Since know one actually knows yet what the U.S. allocation of units will be during its first full mouth of its launch,its all speculation. The only factor that (might) hold down early sales besides lack of units available for delivery would likely be that Kia Dealerships will not only (not) discount this vehicle one penny (but) add on ridiculous Dealer Fee`s and Limited availability sur-charges that will cause many buyers, (including myself) to wait a few months until the initial madness subsides.
Regardless of the initial hype or inventory, I don’t think this car is gonna move nearly as many units as some are thinking. It is a great car, but look at the market it’s competing in. Before you say “it is class leading in every possible way!” Oh yeah? So is the Optima, and it is a sales dog.
Will Kia market the Rio any better?
I wish they would separate the Sportage and Optima figures based on if they are MY 2010 or MY 2011. Since both of those models changed for 2011, the sales figures in this table shows both models, without showing how many of the new models (MY 2011) are selling. I’m sure there were some 2010 models on dealer lots still, especially with Spectra, Amanti, Rondo and Borrego making the Year-To-Date list, and being 2-3 years old.
y-t-date 331,000+ in 2011 vs. 237,000+ in 2010 says it all, Kia nuts. Whoo-hoo!!
I personally think that Optima sales have (not) been up to what they could have or should have been due to limited inventory AND the simple fact that Kia Motors America (still) need to upgrade and expand their Dealerships. There still is too many Old sub-standard Kia Stores that need to be put into new state of art modern facilities. You don`t market a great well built and styled vehicle out of a Used Car Lot Shack. Kia needs to put more pressure on their network of Dealers to either upgrade or build new store fronts or potentially, loose their Franchise. Most Hyundai Dealerships are either new or modern facilities and Kia needs to mandate the same to keep improving Brand image so that they are not looked at as Hyundai`s stepchild or illegitimate offspring. Kia is quickly becoming the Belle of the Ball and and no longer the Wall Flower that no one actually wanted except for the fact it was Cheap. You`ve come a long way Baby, the Best is still to come!