by Kia started the year with very strong sales results, but the situation with electric models looks much less optimistic. Here are the key points from the January report:
Sharp Decline in Electric Vehicle Popularity
Last month, Kia sold only 674 units of the EV9 in the United States. This represents a drop of 45 percent compared to last year and indicates the critical role of the $7,500 federal tax credit that previously supported demand.
Sales of the more affordable EV6 contracted even more sharply. In January, 540 cars were sold compared to 1,542 in the same month last year. This is a 65 percent drop, and it occurred despite the model being fully updated last year.
Overall Record and Growth of Traditional Models
However, overall, Kia has something to be proud of. Total sales in the US amounted to 64,502 cars, which is 13 percent more than a year ago. Sales of several of Kia’s most popular models increased sharply, although some models, like the EV6 and EV9, showed negative dynamics.
K4/Forte sales remain stable (11,642 cars), K5 grew from 4,357 to 6,276 units, and Niro jumped from 1,202 to 3,170. The Seltos model also showed an excellent result – 5,278 cars sold versus 2,840 a year ago.
Kia also reported a 7% increase in Telluride sales (to 9,424 cars) and a significant 60% jump for Carnival (to 5,879). The situation was less successful for the Soul, whose sales fell from 3,554 to 1,731. Sorento sales also unexpectedly fell from 6,871 to 5,904 units.
On the other hand, Sportage showed the highest sales volume among all brand models, reaching 13,984 units, which is 23 percent more than last year.
Company Plans and Comments
Building on three consecutive annual sales records, January’s record performance shows Kia is not slowing down, as the brand’s strategy of giving customers everything they need and more than they expect, across various segments and with different powertrain types, is attracting more and more new customers
– said Eric Watson, Vice President of Sales Operations at Kia America.
With the new flagship 2027 Telluride SUV, now available with a hybrid version, and the highly anticipated K4 hatchback coming to dealerships soon, 2026 will again prove the value of a balanced model lineup offering for American customers, and we are confident our upward trajectory will continue
Detailed Sales Statistics
Model / January-2026 / January-2025 / Change
EV9 / 674 / 1,232 / -45.3%
EV6 / 540 / 1,542 / -65.0%
K4/Forte / 11,642 / 11,616 / +0.2%
K5 / 6,276 / 4,357 / +44.0%
Soul / 1,731 / 3,554 / -51.3%
Niro / 3,170 / 1,202 / +163.7%
Seltos / 5,278 / 2,840 / +85.8%
Sportage / 13,984 / 11,357 / +23.1%
Sorento / 5,904 / 6,871 / -14.1%
Telluride / 9,424 / 8,771 / +7.4%
Carnival / 5,879 / 3,665 / +60.4%
Total / 64,502 / 57,007 / +13.1%
These numbers clearly demonstrate the dual reality of the market. On one hand, the overall strength of the brand and demand for ICE and hybrid vehicles remain extremely high, allowing for new records to be set. On the other hand, the electric vehicle market, which until recently seemed to be the locomotive of the future, is facing serious challenges. The drop in sales of the EV9 and EV6 may be related not only to changes in tax conditions but also to a general cooling of demand for electric vehicles, increased competition, or customer expectations for new, more advanced models. The success of models like the hybrid Niro may indicate that buyers currently prefer transitional technologies. The coming months will show whether the decline in electric car sales is a temporary phenomenon or part of a longer-term trend that will force manufacturers to adjust their strategies.
