Kia marked an all-time high for June sales and stretched its streak of monthly records to four as deliveries jumped 43 percent amid sharply lower incentive spending.
Through the first half, the Korean brand sold about 115,000 more vehicles than in the pandemic-stricken first six months of 2020, for a 44 percent increase.
Kia said U.S. dealers ended June with a roughly 15-day supply of vehicles and that inventory is expected to be tight for several months. Light trucks accounted for 54 percent of Kia's U.S. sales in the first half, continuing a shift away from passenger cars.
Notable nameplates: Forte, up 83%; K5/Optima, up 51%; Sportage, up 47%; Telluride, up 166%
Incentives: $2,336 per vehicle, down 38% from a year earlier, TrueCar says.
Average transaction price: $28,032, up 13% from a year earlier, according to TrueCar.
Quote: "Kia closed the first-half of the year with incredibly strong sales, and this unprecedented momentum will continue as we further implement our growth strategy to gain market share even in light of industry-wide supplier issues and delayed production," said Sean Yoon, CEO of Kia Motors North America.
Did you know? Kia's top seller, the Forte compact sedan, posted its best-ever first-half sales, at 62,159, beating out the Sportage compact crossover at 53,374. But the tables were turned in June, as the Sportage outsold the Forte.
