2018 (Full Year) USA: Kia Motors America Sales

In 2018, Kia Motors sold 589,673 vehicles in the USA – five more cars than a year ago. The Sorento was the top-selling Kia in the US in 2018.

2019 Kia Sportage © Kia Motors

In December 2018, Kia Motors America (KMA) sold of 47,428 vehicles in the USA, representing a 10.2-percent increase over the same period last year. Kia’s 2018 sales total of 589,673 was only five more vehicles than a year ago.

Kia Sales per Model in the US in 2018

Kia Motor sales in the USA by model in December 2018 and full year 2018 were as follows:

Model12/201812/2017FY2018FY2017
Rio1,6081,61822,97516,760
Forte7,7097,922101,890117,596
Optima7,8097,081101,603107,493
Cadenza1988964,5077,249
Stinger1,28982616,806843
K9005535354455
Niro2,0062,39728,23227,237
Sportage6,9985,58582,82372,824
Sorento8,5027,740107,84699,684
Sedona1,1261,32917,92823,815
Soul10,1287,610104,709115,712
Total47,42843,039589,673589,668

Kia sales highlights for 2018 included:

  • Best-ever annual sales for the Sportage CUV
  • A 37-percent increase in sales of the Rio Subcompact
  • Forte, Optima and Soul surpassing the 100,000-unit mark for the third consecutive year

“2018 was a year where the Kia brand continued to defy consumer and industry expectations by once again outranking all other non-luxury brands in initial quality and taking the number two spot in dependability, according to J.D. Power,” said Bill Peffer, vice president, sales operations, KMA. “In addition, the Sorento was the top selling model and the Sportage saw a double-digit sales increase setting the stage for the highly anticipated Telluride, which is slated to debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit later this month.”

Car Sales in the USA 2018 by Brand

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands and 50 Best Global Green Brands by Interbrand.   Kia serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and LPGA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly built in West Point, Georgia.*

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (S, EX, SX and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in online writing. His best-selling cars website has been reporting car sales statistics since 2008 with classic car auction prices focusing on the most expensive automobiles sold at public auctions in the past decade. He also owns the travel websites European-Traveler.com and Lake Geneva Switzerland. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Finance from the University of London.