Kia posted its strongest August on record in the United States, with dealers moving 83,793 vehicles last month, a gain of 786 units compared with the same period a year earlier. The automaker said six models — the K4, K5, Carnival, Seltos, Sportage, and Telluride — each set an all-time August sales record during the month.
The standout performer was the Sportage, which found 18,723 buyers, a slight increase year over year and a gain of nearly 8.5% on a year-to-date basis. It was followed by the affordable K4 with 12,881 units and the recently redesigned Telluride with 12,693 deliveries. Telluride sales are up 16.7% year-to-date, a boost Kia attributes in part to the introduction of a hybrid variant alongside the redesign.
Hybrid sales across the lineup jumped 99% in August, a surge the company largely credits to elevated gasoline prices, which have averaged above $4 per gallon nationally. The 2027 Seltos also got off to a strong start, with sales climbing 65.3% to 9,214 units. The crossover starts at $24,990, and a hybrid version is expected to arrive later this year.
While consumers embraced hybrids to save at the pump, the same price pressure was not enough to drive a shift to fully electric vehicles. Sales of the EV6 tumbled 60% to 712 units, while the larger EV9 fell 33% to 1,789 deliveries. The newly launched EV3, which starts at $29,890, found just six early adopters last month.
Kia also managed to set the new monthly record despite the elimination of the Soul from its lineup. That model attracted 5,548 buyers in August 2025, while last month's sales fell to zero. The brand still has several launches ahead, including a facelifted Niro and the all-new EV3, which is expected to generate broader interest as availability expands.
Year-to-date, Kia has delivered 590,377 vehicles in the U.S., up from 570,641 during the same stretch in 2025. The company's performance reflects a broader trend in the American market, where consumers are increasingly turning to hybrids as a compromise between traditional combustion engines and fully electric vehicles.