Kia posted its best-ever October sales in the United States, delivering 80,008 vehicles and surpassing its previous October record by 16%. The milestone marked the Korean automaker’s sixth consecutive month of record sales, with strong demand across its lineup and five models achieving their highest October sales totals ever.
The results also highlighted growing interest in Kia’s hybrid and electric vehicles, while the second-generation Telluride continued gaining momentum against the Sportage, the brand’s traditional U.S. sales leader.
Kia October Sales Records Across Five Models
Kia’s October performance reflected demand for vehicles spanning electric, hybrid and conventional gas-powered models. The automaker also established new monthly sales records for hybrids and electrified vehicles, with hybrid sales increasing by 114%.
Five Kia models recorded their best-ever October sales:
- Sportage: 17,977 units
- Telluride: 14,009 units
- K4/Forte: 11,391 units
- Seltos: 8,052 units
- Carnival: 7,751 units
The Sportage remained Kia’s top-selling model for the month, but the Telluride’s strong performance brought the two vehicles closer in sales volume.
Kia EV9 Leads Year-Over-Year Growth
The Kia EV9 delivered the brand’s strongest year-over-year sales growth in October, with 1,406 units sold, an increase of 111%.
The new EV3, which went on sale last quarter, recorded 976 sales in October, bringing its year-to-date total to 1,496 units.
The EV9’s growth stood out amid a broader U.S. electric vehicle market where total EV sales were down by roughly 30%.
“With six consecutive months of record-breaking sales, Kia is accelerating toward a fourth straight annual sales record, powered by the strength of our world-class model lineup and our nationwide network of retail partners,” said Eric Watson, vice president, sales operations, Kia America.
“An expanding hybrid lineup, the arrival of the all-new, all-electric EV3, and the success of the all-new Telluride and Seltos are adding even more momentum to our growth. We’re confident this record-setting pace will carry us through the fourth quarter and well into 2027.”
Telluride Closes the Gap With the Sportage
The October results revealed a significant shift in the sales gap between Kia’s two leading SUVs.
In October 2025, the Sportage outsold the Telluride by 7,486 units. Last month, that difference narrowed to just 3,968 vehicles.
The Sportage is further along in its current product cycle, while the Telluride remains a newer model. The changing sales momentum could put the three-row SUV in position to challenge the Sportage for Kia’s U.S. sales leadership in the coming months.
That possibility comes despite the Telluride costing thousands of dollars more than the two-row Sportage.
Kia Growth Outpaces the Overall Auto Industry
Kia’s October gains extended across multiple vehicle segments, including hybrids, electric SUVs, three-row crossovers, minivans and small hatchbacks and sedans.
Automakers reporting October sales results recorded an overall increase of 8.6%, while Kia’s sales climbed 16%.
Kia also outsold its corporate sibling Hyundai for the third month in 2026.
With record October deliveries, rising hybrid sales and strong performances from several key models, Kia continued its run of consecutive monthly sales records in the United States.
