- Kia has broken its half year record with 62,005 new cars registered
- Records achieved for January, March, Q1, Q2 and H1
- Over 31,643 electrified vehicles sold in the period
- Sportage continues its popularity, as the UK’s second favourite car
- EV3 finishes H1 as the UK’s most popular retail EV
- Strong sales for Picanto, with a 35% year-over-year increase in registrations
Kia UK has delivered an exceptional first half of 2025, achieving record-breaking sales across several key segments. With 62,005 new vehicles registered year-to-date, Kia firmly secures its position as the UK’s third best-selling car brand so far this year.
Eco cars (EV, PHEV, HEV, excluding mild hybrids) played a pivotal role in Kia’s momentum with 31,643 electrified vehicles registered during H1 – representing more than half of all Kia sales so far this year. This marked an over 7% increase year-on-year, cementing Kia as a top eco car brand in the UK and just below the market leader. For perspective, in 2011 Kia registered 53,614 cars in the entire year.
Strong contributions came from all segments, including the Sportage which is the UK’s second most popular car of any make or model this year with 23,012 registrations year-to-date. The EV3 continues its popularity winning more awards already than there have been weeks in the year, and it is the UK’s most popular retail-registered EV in the first half year, with 6,293 total registrations. Meanwhile, the Picanto saw an increase in registrations of an impressive 35% year-on-year, to 7,607 units registered. Kia’s performance over the first half of 2025 illustrates a compelling blend of product appeal and electrified ambition.
Quick off the blocks
A standout January set the tone for the first half year, as Kia recorded its best-ever start to the year with 10,813 units sold and a commanding 7.8% market share, placing it second overall across retail and fleet. The Sportage SUV continued its dominance, topping the UK sales charts in January and maintaining its stronghold as the country’s best-selling SUV in 2024. Quick off the blocks, the all-electric EV3 also emerged as the UK’s best-selling retail EV.
Kia topped UK registrations in February, and it was the number one eco car brand (EV, PHEV, HEV), while the Sportage continued to be the UK’s favourite car with 1,516 registrations. The Picanto was the best-seller in the A-segment and the Ceed the third best-selling C-segment car – testament to Kia’s continued support of the traditional small and hatchback segments.
Kia ended Q1 with a host of records: March was the best-ever month for the brand in its 34-year UK history, with an impressive 19,993 registrations. Kia achieved 35,063 registrations across Q1 with a 6.0% market share. This was the largest ever Q1 result for Kia, made up of the most electrified ‘eco’ models registered in any quarter, including the most plug-in vehicles (EV and PHEV). This was appropriately recognised with the EV3 winning the outright 2025 UK Car of the Year award, following in the footsteps of the EV9 in 2024. Q1 was additionally the best-ever result for registrations of the Stonic, Ceed Sportswagon and Sorento HEV.
The EV3 earned further praise in April, winning the 2025 World Car of the Year award, again following the same accolade awarded to the EV9 the year before. Kia’s drive for innovation was further highlighted with the UK unveiling of the PV5 Purpose-Built Vehicle (PBV) at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the end of April. In addition, April saw Kia voted by the nation’s car dealers as the top brand for the fifth consecutive time in the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Winter 2025 Dealer Attitude Survey (DAS).
Kia’s registrations continued to impress across both April and May, with Kia ending both months as the third best-selling brand year-to-date, thanks to registrations across all models. Notably, success continued with the EV3 that was the best-selling retail electric vehicle once again, while the Sportage continued its popularity as the best-selling car of any make or model.
Kia ended June as the fourth best-selling brand with 10,043 units registered, with a 5.2% market share month-to-date. The Kia EV3 is the brand’s fastest selling EV, contributing to a best-ever June and Q2 for EV registrations. In addition, Kia scored a Q2 eco car registration record, which was aided by the Sportage surpassing 450,000 lifetime registrations – just ahead of Kia’s announcement of pricing and specifications for the new Sportage on 1 July.