Kia Sets Sales Record For First Half Of 2025

Kia is doing a victory lap after the automaker set a new record for the first sixth months of a year. The Korean company says it sold 416,511 vehicles from January through June 2025, 8 percent higher than for the same time period in 2024.

Cicada blamed for Kia crashing.

It’s almost like a lot of consumers flocked to cheap cars as they deal with inflation, uncertainty in the job market, and a general sense of instability. Kia definitely offers cheap rides, although it’s not known for great build quality or long-term durability/reliability.

But we know your average car shopper doesn’t really think that far ahead, especially when things feel desperate. Some people who were driving a BMW back when the money was flowing thanks to covid policies might be driving a Sorento and feeling lucky.

According to Kia, several models enjoyed their highest sales levels ever for the first half of 2025. The K5 sedan racked up a 170 percent increase in sales, year over year, with the Carnival enjoying a very healthy 57 percent increase.

Plus, the automaker saw consumers flocking to hybrids, with sales growing 70 percent versus the first half of 2024. That follows the general market trend, proving once again that Toyota was right about the path of electrification moving towards hybrids and not battery-electric cars.

Kia has also relied heavily on eye-catching designs to differentiate itself from the competition. Whether you’re a fan of the brand’s current designs, you have to admit they do stand out at a time when most automakers seem to be copying each other.

The results of Kia’s first half of 2025 don’t surprise us. After all, it’s been racking up sales records like crazy this year, and in 2024. We just wonder how much longer the company will be hitting new highs or if something will cause sales to even out, if not contract.

Image via Kia