by Record Start to the Year
While General Motors showed weak results, Kia celebrated success. The Korean brand’s sales in the first quarter grew by 4.1%, reaching a new record of 207,015 vehicles. The company noted that this result highlights their “steady growth despite uncertain market conditions.”
Growth Leaders
The fully updated Telluride proved to be a key asset, helping to increase sales in the first quarter by 16.9% – to 35,928 units. This is the highest quarterly result in the entire history of this model.
Among other models that showed significant growth were the K5 and Seltos, whose sales increased by 19.4% and 29.2% respectively. Sportage sales grew by 8.2%, and the Carnival, which shatters minivan stereotypes, showed growth of 27.8%. It is also worth noting that the K4 became the brand’s second best-selling model, despite minimal growth of 0.6%.
Electric Vehicles vs. Hybrids
However, not all news was good. Electric vehicles continue to show declining sales, which is linked to the cancellation of the federal tax credit. EV6 sales fell by 45.8%, and EV9 sales fell by 27.1% for the quarter. The only positive note for the three-row EV9 crossover was a slight sales increase in March of 7.1%, which, however, amounts to only an additional 83 vehicles.
At the same time, consumers are actively choosing hybrid models. Their sales soared by 73%, setting a new quarterly record. The position of hybrids is expected to be strengthened by the new 2027 Seltos, which recently debuted with a new 1.6-liter hybrid engine.
Problematic Models and Summary
Besides electric vehicles, certain difficulties arose with the Sorento model, whose sales fell by 14.4% for the quarter. The overall figures were also impacted by the discontinuation of Soul production, although some dealers still have remaining stock of this model.
Kia Sales Dynamics in the USA
Detailed sales statistics for March and the first quarter of 2026 clearly demonstrate the dynamics for each model:
| Model | March 2026 | March 2025 | Q1 2026 Total | Q1 2025 Total |
| EV9 | 1,247 | 1,164 | 2,740 | 3,756 |
| EV6 | 883 | 921 | 2,023 | 3,738 |
| K4/Forte | 13,714 | 13,719 | 37,220 | 37,004 |
| K5 | 6,477 | 6,399 | 18,806 | 15,747 |
| Soul | 543 | 3,717 | 3,299 | 11,277 |
| Niro | 2,502 | 2,431 | 7,455 | 5,118 |
| Seltos | 5,212 | 4,828 | 14,699 | 11,375 |
| Sportage | 16,819 | 16,872 | 44,704 | 41,301 |
| Sorento | 8,858 | 10,547 | 21,510 | 25,117 |
| Telluride | 13,306 | 11,473 | 35,928 | 29,843 |
| Carnival | 6,947 | 6,469 | 18,631 | 14,574 |
| Total | 76,508 | 78,540 | 207,015 | 198,850 |
The overall Kia sales picture indicates a clear trend: traditional internal combustion engine models and hybrids remain the foundation of success, while the electric vehicle market is undergoing a period of correction. The strong positions of models like the Telluride and Sportage, together with the rapid growth of hybrids, allow the brand to compensate for the decline in the electric segment and maintain an overall positive dynamic. The future introduction of new hybrid powertrains, as in the Seltos, could further strengthen this trend in the coming quarters.
