Kia Global SUV/MPV Sales By Model : 1994-2013

Having gone through Kia car sales previously, we now look at SUVs and MPVs. The percentage figure to the right is for SUV/MPVs as compared to total Kia sales including cars. Considering the number of models shown below, the percentage of all Kia sales isn't that high.

Sportage: This compact SUV started in 1993 and is still going with the same name! The first model amazingly shared a platform with the Mazda Bongo van. They are currently  manufactured in Korea, China and Slovakia.

The first Sportage

Sorento: Going up a size from the Sportage, it was first released in 2002. Manufacture is in Korea and the USA.

Soul: This compact MPV type of vehicle sells surprisingly well. Made in Korea and China, it is ideal as a city car.

Carens: A more traditional MPV, the Carens combined with the similar Carstar in early years doesn't sell as well as it once did. Names such as Rondo and X-Trek have also been attached to it. I think it deserves to do better.

Carnival: The minivan also known as the Sedona, has been around for a while now.

Venga: It is a mini MPV similar to the Hyundai i20. Initially built in the Hyundai Czech Rep facility, it was then switched to the Kia plant in Slovakia.

The European Kia. Well styled but not a great drive

Ray: An electric mini MPV has been given a man's name to identify it. It also includes models powered by petrol and petrol/LPG.

Retona/Mohave: Two SUVs share this column purely due to width constraint. The Retona was a Jeep vehicle which was sold by the company Asia Motors as the Rocsta, but was absorbed into Kia in 1998 and given a new name. Sales were from 1998 to 2003. The Mohave or Borrego is a mid sized SUV that commenced sales in 2008. It wasn't successful and is now only sold in a relatively few places.

Yr	Sport	Soren	Soul	Caren	Carni	Veng	Ray	Mo/Re	S/MV	Tot	%
94	26.8	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	27	394	7
95	36.9	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	37	452	8
96	45.6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	46	513	9
97	64.1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	64	466	14
98	51.0	-	-	-	33.3	-	-	1.7	86	282	31
99	93.6	-	-	75.3	89.7	-	-	11.9	271	619	44
00	112.7	-	-	129.8	97.0	-	-	10.6	350	794	44
01	76.8	-	-	76.9	132.3	-	-	5.4	291	787	40
02	33.2	94.8	-	79.3	155.4	-	-	3.1	366	778	47
03	3.7	161.6	-	70.2	145.8	-	-	1.2	383	787	49
04	50.1	171.1	-	45.4	142.8	-	-	-	409	958	43
05	160.7	162.1	-	42.2	116.4	-	-	-	481	1105	44
06	157.1	136.8	-	77.7	108.6	-	-	-	480	1142	42
07	176.3	98.1	-	112.7	91.3	-	-	-	478	1266	38
08	190.6	69.4	19.3	84.9	62.5	-	-	37.3	464	1312	35
09	158.3	58.6	119.3	44.8	50.4	5.0	-	12.8	449	1459	31
10	246.5	237.8	172.0	42.9	55.9	49.3	-	15.8	820	1974	42
11	385.7	273.8	177.9	41.2	61.2	38.7	4.1	18.1	1001	2354	43
12	414.2	245.3	166.8	29.2	55.3	35.1	43.9	17.0	1007	2622	38
13	452.7	231.2	164.4	62.3	48.8	29.8	27.4	15.8	1032	2710	38

Data source: Thanks to Hyundai Group. (Modified 02.09.14)

With the big move to SUVs, I'm surprised they only have two, forgetting the Mohave. The Venga and Ray are low volume. The Carnival sells well below its peak now. So the SUV/MPV side of Kia has not been as successful as the car side of the brand for the last ten years.