• Sales in May total 160,913 units, down 32.7 percent y/y
• Domestic sales increase 19 percent y/y, to 51,181 units
• Overseas sales declined 44 percent y/y, to 109,732 units

Kia Motors Corporation recorded total sales of 160,913 units in May 2020, a 32.7 percent decrease from the same period last year.

Globally, the Sportage SUV topped Kia’s sales rankings, with 25,738 units sold, followed by the Seltos SUV at 19,278 units, and the all-new Sorento SUV at 16,550 units.

Domestic sales

Against a challenging global backdrop for new car demand, Kia’s sales in Korea rose by 19 percent year-on-year, to 51,181 units. New models such as the Sorento SUV, which was released in March, and the K5 (Optima in some markets) sedan released last December helped to improve Kia’s domestic sales position.

Overseas sales

Sales of Kia models in overseas markets decreased by 44 percent in May 2020, to 109,732 units. This was due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, which depleted consumer demand. Kia Motors also had to scale back the operation of its overseas plants in response to the pandemic, and the consequential reduction in supply contributed to the fall in overseas dealer sales.

In response to the tough business environment, Kia will proactively manage its business risks to cope with growing uncertainties. The company will provide fresh momentum to sales, with a strong line-up of new models including Sorento and K5.

Editor’s notes

* Sales results are based on wholesale.

* Monthly sales figures provided in this press release are unaudited and on a preliminary basis.