Kia Motors America finished July with a 5.6-percent increase in sales over last July, and a year-to-date sales increase of 15.9 percent. Last month marked the 23rd month in a row of year-over-year sales.
The company sold a total of 48,074 for the month
"The story of Kia's extraordinary growth continues, and after capturing our 23rd straight monthly sales record, it is that of a brand which is moving forward on all fronts with significant strides in satisfying customers and building owner loyalty," Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing of Georgia, said in a statement. "Our model line is designed to meet and exceed the high expectations of discerning car buyers who want quality and tremendous value in one package, as evidenced by our latest accolades from two major J.D. Power and Associates' studies - IQS and APEAL. And with a number of fresh products coming in the year ahead, we are confident that Kia will continue to attract new customers to our showrooms going forward."
Kia's says that its sales increases are "due in large part to strong retail sales performances by the US-built Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan, as well as the popular Soul urban passenger vehicle."
The Sorento and the Soul, however, both saw their July numbers decrease from July of last year, and the Sorento also has lower year-to-date sales than last year.
The Sorento sold 10,045 vehicles in July of 2012, versus 13,262 in July of 2011. Year-to-date sales are 67,569 versus last year's 75,040.
The Kia Forte, Sportage, and Sedona have also seen both July and year-to-date decreases.
The Soul's July decrease was less drastic than the Sorento's: 10,063 versus last year's 10,131. However, there is nothing slight about the year-to-date sales increase it has seen: 73,698 units over last year's 65,118.
Kia's upswing can be attributed to massive surges in the sales of two models: the Optima that the company mentions in its announcement, and the Rio.
Optima sales almost doubled, up for July from 6,772 units last year to 13,317 this year, and for year-to-date from 43,389 last year to 86,475 this year.
Rio sales more than tripled from July (3,646 units up from 1,011) and more than doubled year-to-date (26,042 vehicles versus 12,944).
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