Industry data released on Monday shows that Kia Motors ranked second in UK sales during the first eight months of this year, driven by strong demand for its Sportage sport utility vehicle (SUV).

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the South Korean automaker sold a total of 76,850 vehicles in the UK between January and August, representing a 2.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

The data shows that Kia placed second, behind only Volkswagen, which sold 111,830 units during the period.

During this timeframe, Kia was the only Asian automaker to make it into the UK's top five best-selling brands; it moved up one position from the previous year and surpassed European brands such as BMW and Audi.

Kia's UK sales have grown steadily, having exceeded the 100,000-unit milestone for four consecutive years. Its annual sales figures are as follows: 100,191 units in 2022, 107,765 units in 2023, 112,252 units in 2024, and 113,436 units in 2025.

If this strong sales momentum continues through the end of the year, Kia's annual UK sales are expected to surpass the 100,000-unit mark for a fifth consecutive year and set a new annual sales record.

This year, the Kia Sportage model ranked second on the UK's individual model sales chart with 30,564 units sold, behind only the Ford Puma, which sold 35,968 units.

The Sportage accounts for approximately 40% of Kia's total UK sales so far this year.