Kia America has reported its best November sales performance in company history, delivering 72,002 vehicles in the U.S., a 3 percent increase over the same month last year and enough to secure the brand’s third consecutive all-time annual sales record on a year-to-date basis, with 777,152 units sold through November, up 7 percent versus 2024.
The gains were driven by strong demand across sedans, SUVs, and electrified models, underscoring the momentum of Kia’s evolving product portfolio in a competitive U.S. market.
Record November performance
Kia’s November volume of 72,002 units marks the highest November tally the company has ever recorded in the United States, reflecting a 3 percent year-over-year increase. On a year-to-date basis through November, total U.S. sales reached 777,152 vehicles, representing a 7 percent gain over the same period in 2024 and positioning the brand to achieve its third straight all-time annual sales record.
Standout nameplates and segments
Five core models – K5, Carnival, Sportage, Telluride, and Sorento – posted notable year-to-date growth, with K5 up roughly 64 percent, Carnival up about 46 percent, Sportage up 13 percent, Telluride up 8 percent, and Sorento up 2 percent versus the prior-year period. November also delivered all‑time monthly November highs for Carnival, Sportage, and Seltos, while electrified vehicles rose about 25 percent year-to-date, sedans 14 percent, and SUVs 6 percent, highlighting broad-based demand across body styles and powertrains.
Leadership commentary and strategy
Kia executives attribute the performance to a diverse lineup and rapid expansion of hybrid offerings that align with shifting consumer preferences in the U.S. market. The company emphasizes that this product strategy not only supports record sales but also broadens Kia’s reach into new customer groups seeking efficiency, technology, and value in both traditional and electrified vehicles.
Next-generation 2027 Telluride
At the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show, Kia unveiled the second-generation 2027 Telluride, a three-row SUV that grows in overall length and interior space while adopting more upscale design cues and materials typical of luxury competitors. The new Telluride launches with a standard turbocharged powertrain and an available turbo-hybrid system producing up to 329 horsepower and an estimated 35 mpg combined, positioning the model as a more powerful yet more efficient flagship SUV.
Investment in EV charging via IONNA
In parallel with its sales momentum, Kia is advancing EV infrastructure through IONNA, a joint-venture fast-charging network developed with other automakers. In California, the network plans to invest more than 250 million dollars in charging infrastructure over the next three years, aiming to improve access and convenience for current and future Kia EV owners in the nation’s largest electric-vehicle market.
Safety recognition for 2026 Sportage
The 2026 Kia Sportage has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating for models built after May 2025, the organization’s highest safety designation. This upgraded rating reflects improvements in crash protection, forward collision prevention, and headlight performance, reinforcing Sportage’s position as a key volume model that also meets stringent safety expectations.
Model-level November and YTD totals
Kia’s November and year-to-date sales table underscores the breadth of the brand’s portfolio performance across segments. Key models such as the Sportage (15,795 units in November; 165,954 year-to-date), Telluride (10,054; 111,123 YTD), and Carnival (7,362; 65,172 YTD) illustrate how strong SUV and multipurpose vehicle demand is supporting the overall record. Meanwhile, sedans like the K4/Forte and K5, along with EVs including EV6 and EV9, round out a balanced mix that supports both volume and electrification goals.
Brand positioning and U.S. footprint
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to perform strongly in third‑party quality assessments while also being recognized among TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024. The brand serves as the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and WNBA and sells gasoline, hybrid, plug‑in hybrid, and fully electric vehicles through nearly 800 U.S. dealers, with select trims of EV6, EV9, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride assembled in the United States from domestic and global components.
