Kia races to No. 2 in UK market on strength of Sportage

If the Tucson is Kia's workhorse in the United States, the Sportage is its champion in Britain.

Powered by strong Sportage sales, Kia ranked second among all automotive brands in the UK from January through August this year — one of Europe's major car markets — and is well on track to sell more than 100,000 vehicles in the country for a fifth consecutive year.

Kia sold 76,850 vehicles in the UK during the first eight months of this year, up 2.3 percent from the same period last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. That placed Kia second behind Volkswagen, which sold 111,830 units. BMW (70,674 units), Audi (71,904 units) and Ford (70,150 units) followed.

Kia has posted annual UK sales of more than 100,000 units every year since 2022, when it sold 100,191 vehicles. It followed that with 107,765 in 2023, 112,252 in 2024 and 113,436 in 2025.

Industry observers expect Kia to not only extend its streak of five consecutive years above the 100,000-unit mark by year-end, but also set a new annual sales record in the market.

The UK, home to Rolls-Royce and Jaguar, is Europe's second-largest car market after Germany. The country sold about 1.39 million vehicles in the January-to-August period, giving it a 15.1 percent share of the European auto market, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

The Sportage SUV has been the driving force behind Kia's performance in Britain. The model sold 30,564 units in the UK this year, making it the second best-selling nameplate in the country, behind the Ford Puma at 35,968 units. The Sportage accounted for roughly 40 percent of all Kia vehicles sold in the UK this year.

The Sportage has also been named Family SUV of the Year at the What Car? Awards, a prestigious British automotive prize, for four consecutive years, with judges praising its practical interior design, driving performance and competitive pricing.

"Kia is delivering strong results in the UK, one of Europe's largest auto markets," a Kia official said. "We will strengthen our position by launching new models with outstanding competitiveness."