In 2022, Kia Motors will sell more than 100,000 vehicles in the UK for the first time, achieving its best-ever market share in the process.
The success means the UK becomes Kia’s fifth global market to reach the 100,000-unit sales milestone – ahead of other European countries such as Germany and France.
The only other countries where Kia sells more than 100,000 vehicles in a single year are the US, China, South Korea and Russia.
Since arriving in the UK in 1991, Kia has sold nearly 1.4 million cars in the UK.
It now holds a 6.2 percent share of the UK market, making it the sixth-biggest car brand by sales.
kia electrification
Kia’s car sales mix in the UK is increasingly electrified. In 2022, 42.9% of the cars sold here will be all electricplug-in hybrid or hybrid.
Its pure EV mix is 16.3% — it could be higher if it can secure more EV supply.
The company revealed that the waiting list for the top-of-the-range Kia EV6 is currently about a year, with one-fifth of its forward orders going to electric car.
Kia will launch nine new electric vehicles in the UK between now and 2027 as part of its Plan S strategy.
One of them will be the top-of-the-line Kia EV9 SUV, which will be released in early 2023.
“Feeling Matters”
Kia UK president and chief executive Paul Philpott told Motoring Research that hitting the company’s long-term target of 100,000 sales “felt important”.
He continued: “At the end of the scrapping 15 years ago, we were selling 30,000 vehicles a year and quickly grew to 50,000.
“We set a vision of 100,000 sales as a motivator—it didn’t take a year.
“It’s a huge achievement to be here after coming so close in 2019. The Kia headquarters in South Korea are already sending us positive messages.”
Kia isn’t resting on its laurels either, Philpot said. The company plans to grow sales by another 5% in 2023 – achieving “profitable and sustainable” volumes.
After the introduction of new Sportage and Niro models in 2022 and a facelift to the XCeed (the three cars account for 70% of Kia’s UK sales), the focus in 2023 will be on preparations for the introduction of the EV9 later this year.
“It will be our biggest car ever, and our most expensive. But thanks to a significant investment in training, knowledge and technical support, our retailers are ready.”
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Kia celebrates 100,000 UK sales in 2022 – and record market share