Kia posts record June and first-half U.S. sales on hybrid demand

On the Dash:

• Kia sold 70,507 units in June, up 10% and a brand record.
• Hybrid sales rose 187% in June, driven by Sportage and Sorento.
• First-half sales hit 430,727 units, Kia’s best half ever.

Kia America closed the first half of 2026 with its best-ever June and its strongest first half on record. The brand sold 70,507 units in June, up 10% from 63,849 units in June 2025.

Year to date, Kia has sold 430,727 units, up 3% from 416,511 units in the same period last year. The results mark all-time records for both June and first-half sales in the U.S. market, according to a Kia America release.

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Retail sales climbed 17% for the month. Hybrid sales surged 187%, and the broader electrified lineup, which includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models, rose 118% year over year.

Here’s a look at the top models driving Kia’s June sales:

• Sportage Hybrid – up 165%.
• Sorento Hybrid – up 114%. 
• Seltos – up 56%. 
• Carnival Hybrid – up 54%. 
• Telluride – up 24%, 

“Kia’s record-breaking first half sales performance was seen across our entire lineup of sedans and SUVs. The results illustrate our ability to react to shifting market demands by resetting our showrooms with the right mix of ICE, hybrid and electrified models,“ Eric Watson, vice president of sales operations for Kia America, said in the release.

Kia’s first-half performance showed similar strength across models:

• Sportage Hybrid – up 136%.
• Sorento Hybrid – up 34%. 
• Seltos – up 30%.
• Carnival – up 21%. 
• Telluride – up 20%. 
• Niro – up 17%. 
• K5 – up 11%.

Total first-half retail sales rose 3.1%. SUVs made up the bulk of Kia’s growth, with SUV sales up 4% for both June and the first half.

Kia pointed to several developments expected to sustain momentum through the rest of the year. The all-new Seltos begins full-scale sales nationwide in July.

Kia also announced that Sportage Hybrid production will start at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America facility in Georgia, marking the first Kia model, the first hybrid-electric vehicle and the third vehicle overall to be assembled at the site.