Kia outsells Subaru and Volkswagen
Korean brand's local arm continues its massive sales growth
Kia Motors Australia was the fastest-growing mainstream brand in the local new car market last year, and this momentum has carried over into 2017.
The Korean brand grew 28.9 per cent in January to 4015 units, catapulting it ahead of Subaru (4009, up a strong 18 per cent in its own right), Volkswagen (3995, down 8 per cent as the Golf enters runout) and Honda (3470, up 20 per cent).
All told, Kia finished in eighth position, which is the highest it’s ever managed before, though the company’s local arm says the result is merely “part of the plan” to build on last year’s annual total of 42,600 units.
While sales figures are often seen as academic, the greater Kia’s market share gets (it was 4.7 per cent in January), the more attention its multi-franchise dealers give it.
Kia’s top-seller was the Cerato small car (1372, up 91 per cent), ahead of the Sportage SUV (1042), Rio (423, though the all-new model just arrived), Carnival (382, the number one people-mover), Sorento (345) and Picanto (324).
Smaller-volume offerings from the brand’s range were the Optima (just 73), Soul (38) and Rondo (16).
Kia just launched the all-new Rio — which we regard as excellent except for its disappointing old engine and four-speed auto gearbox — and will soon lob a brand new Picanto.
Later in the year, the 270kW Commodore SS-rivalling Stinger GT sedan arrives.
New vehicle sales by brand for January 2017
TOP 15 BRANDS | SALES | +/- GROWTH |
Toyota | 12,554 | up 0.8 per cent |
Mazda | 10,067 | up 0.5 per cent |
Holden | 7184 | up 5.3 per cent |
Hyundai | 6705 | down 4 per cent |
Ford | 5912 | up 7.4 per cent |
Mitsubishi | 5075 | up 1.4 per cent |
Nissan | 5012 | down 9.9 per cent |
Kia | 4015 | up 28.9 per cent |
Subaru | 4009 | up 17.7 per cent |
Volkswagen | 3995 | down 8 per cent |
Honda | 3470 | up 19.7 per cent |
Mercedes-Benz | 2973 | down 4.1 per cent |
BMW | 2104 | up 1.4 per cent |
Audi | 2025 | down 5.5 per cent |
Suzuki | 1481 | down 9.8 per cent |