Kia achieves largest volume-brand sales growth in October

• Kia’s European* sales in October up 35.6 per cent on last year
• Year-to-date sales rise 10 per cent on 2010 result
• Overall European market down 1.4 per cent over the month
  

(FRANKFURT) November 25, 2011 – Kia continued to beat the ongoing slump affecting the European automotive industry in October, with monthly sales up 35.6 per cent on the same period last year.

According to the latest ACEA data, Kia sold 29,201 vehicles last month, compared to 21,532 in October 2010, recording the biggest growth of all volume brands, including Ford (up 6.4 per cent), Honda (6.9 per cent), and sister-brand Hyundai (18 per cent).

Kia’s January to October sales this year were also up 10 per cent (220,606 to 242,634), with the company’s market share for the first 10 months of the year increasing to 2.1 per cent, up from 1.9 per cent at the same point in 2010.

“Kia has consistently outperformed the market in 2011 and is on track for another successful year,” comments Benny Oeyen, Vice President Marketing and Product Planning, Kia Motors Europe. “Achieving such strong growth against the backdrop of the ongoing economic uncertainty is proof of the continued appeal of our vehicles to European consumers.

“With the launch of new Picanto and Rio earlier this year, plus a refreshed Soul, Kia has one of the youngest, freshest model ranges in Europe. We will soon be building on that when new Optima goes on sale in European markets from December, so we expect to continue the positive trajectory,” Oeyen concludes.

Kia’s sales boom in Europe echoes the company’s achievements in other markets around the world, with global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles for October 2011 up 18.8 per cent year-on-year.