THE BREAKDOWN
- Global sales rose by two percent to 3.13 million units.
- The Sportage, Seltos, and Sorento were the most popular models.
- Kia wants to sell 3.35 million vehicles in 2026.
With 2025 in the rearview mirror, automakers are taking stock of their performance over the past 12 months. Kia has some bittersweet news to share about its sales results for the year just ended. On the one hand, total deliveries rose by two percent to 3.13 million units, setting a new annual global record. On the other, the South Korean brand fell short of the sales target it had set for 2025, which called for 3.22 million vehicles.
Despite missing that objective, Kia continues to aim high. It plans to sell 3.35 million vehicles by the end of this year, a realistic goal given the influx of new models, including the next-generation Telluride and Seltos. SUVs were the driving force behind the company’s sales surge in 2025, with the Sportage leading the lineup at 569,688 units. The Seltos followed with 299,766 units, while the Sorento completed the podium at 264,673 units.
Kia is preparing for an even stronger 2026 by ramping up production and targeting domestic sales of 565,000 units. For context, Korean buyers purchased 545,776 vehicles last year. Outside its home market, Kia aims to sell 2,775,000 units this year, up from 2,584,238 in 2025.
Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), such as military trucks, are counted separately. Kia plans to sell 10,000 of these in 2026, compared with just 5,789 units last year.
Sister brand Hyundai also failed to hit its 2025 sales target. Instead of the 4.17 million units it had initially projected, Kia’s parent company delivered 4.14 million vehicles last year. For 2026, Hyundai is targeting sales of 4.16 million units.
The upcoming Ioniq 3 has the potential to become a strong seller among buyers seeking an entry-level EV. However, the small electric car previewed by the Concept Three will not go on sale until later this year, meaning the full impact of its launch is unlikely to be felt until 2027.
Sources: Kia, Hyundai
