Kia Posts 24.1% Increase in Global Sales in July

At a time when most automakers are struggling to make ends-meet, Kia Motors reported that it sold 122,230 passenger cars and commercial vehicles in July 2008 recording an impressive 24.1% year-on-year increase. Cumulatively, through the first seven months of 2008, Kia’s global sales increased by 16.9% compared to the same period in 2007 and reached 839,384 units. So far in 2008, Kia’s best selling model in overseas markets has been the Cerato (also known as ‘Spectra’) with 124,058 units followed by the Rio at 94,340 units, the Cee’d at 91,857 and the Sportage SUV at 87,547 units. -Continued

By region, Kia posted significant gains in China with +114.1% in July and 42.7% from the beginning of the year and in Korea with +37.5% in July and 18.5% during the first seven months of 2008. Sales increases were also significant in Europe and North America (+8.4% and +3.5%) and Europe (+6.2% and +12,4%).