Kia On Target For Record Sales

October, 2011

Kia On Target For Record Sales

Kia is on target to achieve another year of record sales both in New Zealand and globally as it continues to ship more vehicles to customers around the world.

With sales charging ahead in key growth markets like China (40.9% up in August) and the United States (up 37% in September), Kia Motors is on course to eclipse the 2 million vehicles sold in all markets in 2010. Global sales were already ahead by 13.8% at the end of August, reaching in excess of 1.6 million - at the start of the year Kia said it hoped to achieve a 12% increase by the end of 2011 and it’s clear that target now be surpassed, barring a major sales slump.

In fact, sales may have been even better this year had Kia been able to build more vehicles to meet the surging demand, with its factories around the world working to almost full capacity.

Whilst year-to-date sales of Kia vehicles here in New Zealand to the end September are 15% ahead of the same nine-month period last year, they could have been even better if the local company had been able to lay its hands on more cars and light commercials.

“There is no doubt that our sales have been hampered by a shortage of key models, particularly during the beginning and middle part of the year, but supply issues are now starting to ease and we are hoping to end 2011 with a hiss and a roar and we’re looking forward to an even better 2012,” says Todd McDonald, General Manager of Kia Motors New Zealand.

He says the launch of several in-demand new models, including the top-selling Rio and Picanto, on top of already huge demand for the Sportage and Sorento, has seen interest in Kia vehicles climb to an all-time high in this market.

Mr McDonald adds: “We have increased our orders, but then, so has every other market in the world and the factories can only build so many vehicles in a 24-hour day and with so many new models being launched it often takes time for the production lines to get up to full speed.

“With the bulk of the new models launches having taken place we are beginning to see improvements in supply and I am very confident we will see an ongoing improvement of supplies over the coming months.”

Kia and its associated vehicle group emerged as one of the world’s top five automakers in global sales, selling more than five million vehicles last year. Even with production pressures, the pair is likely to increase that total by the end of 2011.

The pace of growth has been astonishing, especially compared to just a decade ago when Kia and its group were outside the top ten. Climbing six notches in less than ten years was not a simple accomplishment, as it required stepping over global players including Honda, Nissan, Fiat, Chrysler and Peugeot.

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