Kia reaches 500,000 UK registrations landmark

Kia is celebrating two important sales milestones having had a record sales performance for the month of May and for passing half-a-million registrations since the brand came to the United Kingdom in 1991.

In May, 5,604 Kias were registered - an 8.27 per cent increase
on the previous best-ever May in 2012.  Total sales for 2013 to date now stand at 30,441 vehicles - a record for the first five months of the year and some 10.6 per cent up from the same time last year. Kia's year-to-date market share stands at 3.21 per cent.

"Reaching 500,000 cars in the UK is another important milestone for the Kia brand. Our growth over the last few years has been down to a combination of great new products, changing perceptions of the brand and is testament to the efforts of our growing UK dealer network," said Paul Philpott, President and CEO, Kia Motors (UK) Limited.

"We predict that we will achieve one-million registrations in the UK before the end of the decade and our long-term ambition is to become a 'Top 5' volume car brand in the UK. Considering that our year-to-date sales equal our entire annual performance from just five years ago I am confident we will get there," added Philpott.

The 500,000th Kia sold in the UK was a cee'd '4' 1.6 CRDi hatchback purchased by Dale and Amy Pollard, a married couple from Leicester, from Kia's Sandicliffe Leicester dealership. The handover ceremony for the new '13' plate cee'd was held at the dealership and was attended by Stuart Wardle, Regional Business Manager, Kia Motors (UK) and John Marsh, Business Manager, Sandicliffe.

Dale and Amy, expecting their first child in July, considered safety, luxury, space and price when choosing their new cee'd. Commenting on their choice, Dale said, "It was important for me to have the same class, features and luxury that I was used to on my previous car, a Volkswagen Golf. At another manufacturer you could buy a similar car to a cee'd but you'd have to add on £10,000 to get the same equipment which Kia provides as standard."

"The test drive blew me away - we instantly decided it was the car for us. I was taken aback that it looked as good on the inside as the outside. My wife is heavily pregnant so safety and space were key, hence why we have gone for the 5-door. The warranty is fantastic and will provide that financial peace of mind which is a relief with a baby on the way. The car really does have everything we need," said Dale added.

Posted in: 5-Door,500000th Vehicle,Amy Pollard,cee'd,Dale Pollard,Europe,International,John Marsh,Kia,Kia Motors,Leicester,Paul Philpott,Sale Report,Sandicliffe,United Kingdom