Now that March 2021 has passed and the first quarter is over, many automakers are reporting their sales, and a lot of good news is going on compared with last year and the hit many in the industry took after the initial COVID-19 shutdown. Two years ago, the Kia Telluride was released in the first quarter of 2019, and this SUV spearheaded the sales for Kia Motors, making March 2019 the best first quarter performance for Kia Motors since 2016. Kia Motors sold 55,814 vehicles, with the all-new Telluride SUV making up about a tenth of those sales, with 5080 units sold. With the release of the Seltos, K5, Sorento, Carnival MPV in 2020 and 2021, sales have blown through the roof with 66,523 vehicles sold in March.
“After outpacing the industry last year, Kia is on the move again in 2021 and setting sales records as more new customers discover the world-class design and quality built into every one of our sporty sedans and capable SUVs…The successful launches of the all-new Sorento and Carnival have added to the momentum established by the Telluride and helped push the Kia brand to new heights with even greater potential for future growth.” – Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia Motors North America
In addition to these sales, Kia Motors has also been taking home plenty of awards. In March 2021 alone, eight kia vehicles received the Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) and Top Safety Pick (TSP) awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Always setting high standards for their safety picks, the IIHS chose Kia Soul, Forte, K5, Stinger, Seltos, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride. Continuing to shine, the Kia Telluride also won the “Best 3-Row SUV for Families” competition by U.S. News & World Report and Kelley Blue Book (KBB) named the Kia Telluride as the Best Resale Value Award in the 3-Row, Midsize SUV category.
As for the other vehicles, Car and Driver held its 2021 Editors’ Choice Awards, and many vehicles made the cut. Namely for Kia Motors, Telluride, Sorento, Soul, K5, and Rio were all named winners for that list. Oh, and let’s not forget that the Kia Sorento and Kia K5 made it to the Semifinalists round for the Top 10 of this year’s World Car of the Year (WCOTY) Awards. Held every year to recognize, reward and inspire excellence, leadership, and innovation within the auto industry on a global scale, like the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards, the WCOTY is a prestigious contest.
Along with these releases and awards, Kia Motors has also been debuting and releasing new vehicle concepts and vehicles for retail. We covered the brand new Kia EV6, the first all-electric vehicle to come from the automaker, and it’s looking pretty amazing. Powered by a pair of 430kW motors, and getting its own all-wheel drive GT trim, this could be the first high-performance electric vehicle ever. The Kia EV6 is said to be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 161 mph.
Also revealed is the first all-luxury vehicle from Kia Motors. Known more for their en-masse vehicles produced, a luxury vehicle is a little different for the South Korean automaker, but it looks pretty damn beautiful. Just check out the interior of the Kia K8 (above). Now that’s some high-class tech!
Kia Motors is on the rise as an automaker, and their award-winning vehicles continue to gain fans every year. Find your new Kia Motors vehicle at Miami Lakes Automall.