Kia Motors America Announces Best Quarter Ever

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced its best quarter of sales ever with a September monthly total of 21,623 units sold, a 24.4-percent increase from September 2008. Year to date sales totaled 238,570, a 4.6-percent increase over the same period last year. September sales were led by the Kia Optima midsize sedan and all-new Forte compact sedan, selling 5,986 and 4,449 units respectively. The all-new Soul urban passenger vehicle and Rio subcompact also sold well, with 2,459 and 2,811 units.

"Consumer confidence in the Kia brand is on the rise, and on the heels of an all-time record sales month in August we continue our momentum by achieving the best sales quarter in company history," said Alex Fedorak, director of public relations, KMA. "New designs, like the highly styled and personalized Soul, Forte compact sedan and Forte Koup, are appealing to a larger consumer audience while staying true to our brand's core pillars of value, safety and fuel efficiency."

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time contributing to the brand's continued gains in U.S. market share. The upcoming launch of the all-new 2011 Sorento CUV, the first vehicle to be built at the company's first U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia, will further enhance the lineup.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 650 dealers throughout the United States. For 2008, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."

Kia Motors America is the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA." Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site - www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

                   MONTH OF SEPTEMBER                YEAR-TO-DATE
                   ------------------                ------------
    Model            2009        2008              2009          2008
    -----
    Rio             2,811        2,071            23,234        30,329
    Spectra           462        3,878            46,694        58,915
    Forte           4,449          n/a            12,396           n/a
    Optima          5,986        1,905            30,830        40,778
    Amanti             47          163             3,556         2,806
    Sportage        1,938        1,721            38,896        27,853
    Sorento           854        3,163            18,513        20,636
    Sedona          1,297        1,648            23,717        20,858
    Rondo             653        2,642            11,731        24,680
    Borrego           667          192             4,766         1,233
    Soul            2,459          n/a            24,237           n/a

    Total          21,623       17,383           238,570       228,088