• Best-ever any-month retail sales surpassed the previous retail record set in August 2025; increased 11 percent over May 2025
• Highest year-to-date overall sales through May in company history, up 2 percent
• Telluride, Sportage, Sportage HEV, Sorento HEV, Carnival, and Carnival HEV achieved best-ever May sales
• Hybrid and electrified models deliver record May results

IRVINE, Calif., June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With 80,502 units sold in May, fast-growing Kia America continues to reach new heights led by sales through Kia retailers, which increased 11 percent over May 2025 and beating the previous retail record set in August 2025. In addition, Kia achieved a new year-to-date overall sales record of 360,220 total units sold through the first five months of the year, marking a 2 percent increase over the first five months of 2025.

Three of Kia's most popular models including Telluride (+18 percent); Carnival (+16 percent); and Sportage (+6 percent); set best-ever May sales records, with the second-generation Telluride also setting a best-ever any-month sales record and achieving five consecutive months of record-breaking sales. Kia's hybrid models saw significant growth with Sportage Hybrid (+171 percent); Sorento Hybrid (+101 percent); and Carnival Hybrid (+32 percent); each achieving best-ever May sales records and Carnival Hybrid also setting its best-ever any-month sales record.

Overall, Kia's hybrid models (+179 percent) and electrified models (+133 percent) delivered the highest monthly and best-ever May year-to-date sales totals in company history.

"Even as consumer preferences continue to evolve, Kia continues to break retail, monthly and year-to-date sales records thanks to our wide range of ICE, hybrid and electrified models." said Eric Watson, vice president, sales operations, Kia America. "With five consecutive months of record-breaking sales, the flagship 2027 Telluride continues to shatter all initial expectations. Traffic to showrooms nationwide is growing and we are confident that this momentum will carry us through the first half of the year and beyond in spite of recent economic challenges."

In addition to the monthly sales performance, Kia America also made additional announcements, including: 

• As the Official Mobility Partner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kia provided a total of 660 vehicles, supplying key models—including Telluride, Sportage, Carnival, Sorento, K4, K4 Hatchback, and Niro—to support seamless operations across 2026 FIFA World Cup host nations in North America, U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Kia Corporation and its global mission partner The Ocean Cleanup, the non-profit organization dedicated to ridding the world's oceans of plastic pollution, have announced plans to expand operations in Greater Los Angeles to intercept plastic waste flowing from rivers into the Pacific Ocean. The project is scheduled for completion ahead of the LA28 Olympic Games and has secured backing from Los Angeles County officials, the City of Long Beach, and the City of Seal Beach.
• Kia's all-new 2027 Telluride X-Pro was named the best three-row family SUV by the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) after competing in the association's annual Mudfest event. The annual competition brings together NWAPA journalist members from across the region to evaluate a wide variety of the industry's SUVs based on off-road and everyday driving conditions.

Kia America – about us

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World's Most Sustainable Companies of 2025. Kia serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and WNBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including several SUVs proudly assembled in America*.

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* Select trims of the 2025 all-electric EV6 and EV9 all-electric three-row SUV, Sportage (excludes HEV and PHEV models), Sorento (excludes HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

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SOURCE Kia America