New models the Kia to success
Kia Motors has recorded its best-ever quarterly sales in Europe during the first three months of 2019, according to the latest data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
With 132,174 units sold year-to-date, Kia’s latest results represent sales growth of 0.6%. Outperforming the wider market, Kia’s European market share this quarter has grown to 3.2%, up from 3.1% over the same period in 2018.
Emilio Herrera, chief operating officer for Kia Motors Europe, said, ‘Kia’s European sales this quarter have been stronger than ever, bolstered in particular by the resurgent Ceed model family, which expanded this quarter with the arrival of the new ProCeed five-door shooting brake. The ProCeed has performed particularly well, with sales in March alone equalling the 2018 full-year sales performance of the previous three-door proCeed.
‘With our latest models pushing us to our best sales quarter ever, the following months will see us introduce other new models, including a new Ceed crossover later this year. With the ongoing expansion and renewal of our product portfolio, we are putting ourselves in a strong position to secure further sustainable growth in Europe.’
In the UK, Kia enjoyed further growth in March with sales for the month reaching 18,345 – up 1.4 per cent compared to March in 2018, despite the total UK car market being down 3.4 per cent.
This performance enabled Kia UK to reach a new record first quarter total of 29,954 making up over 20% of Kia’s European sales. The figure passed that of the brand’s total for the year 2007 when it delivered just over 29,000 cars to UK motorists. That first quarter total was up by 4.2% compared to 2018 in a (UK) market down 2.4%.
