Kia Sportage reports best year in Europe, driven by hybrid models

Kia Corp., South Korea’s second-largest automaker, said on Tuesday the sale of its flagship compact sport utility vehicle Sportage reached a fresh all-time high in Europe, driven by hybrid models.

Kia, the sister firm of Hyundai Motor Co., said it sold 157,026 units of the Sportage in Europe, one of its major markets, in 2023, up 11.9% from the previous year.

Kia’s annual European sales surpassed 150,000 units for the first time last year. Last year’s performance also marks a second consecutive year of record sales following 143,270 units in 2022.

The Sportage accounted for a quarter of Kia’s entire 2023 vehicle sales there. It was the best-seller across Kia and Hyundai Motor’s lineup in the market.

Kia attributed its strong sales to hybrid models – plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) – that launched in Europe in 2021.

The Kia Sportage Hybrid sold 73,179 units last year, accounting for nearly half of Kia’s total European sales, including internal combustion-engine vehicles.

RENEWED INTEREST IN HYBRIDS

Like their global peers, Hyundai and Kia recently turned their sights back to hybrid vehicles as electric vehicle uptakes have been slower than expected for several reasons, including weak infrastructure.

The two carmakers, part of Hyundai Motor Group, made no secret of hybrid vehicles’ contribution to its rise in the global ranks to become the No. 3 automaker by volume.

With renewed interest in hybrid models, consumers around the world are looking to a variety of such vehicles sold by Hyundai and Kia.

In November, Kia said it would introduce a turbo hybrid powertrain to the Carnival lineup, its flagship large recreational vehicle, to lure consumers to its hybrid models.

Kia said it is optimistic about breaking the Sportage’s record sales in Europe again in 2024 for the third consecutive year.

During its fourth-quarter earnings conference call with analysts last month, Kia executives said the company plans to expand its eco-friendly vehicle lineup, including hybrid models.

In Europe, Kia has been producing the Sportage at its plant in Slovakia since 2007.

SALES MILESTONE

Globally, Kia plans to expand its production capacity for the Sportage SUV by 11,000 units compared with last year.

Last July, Kia said the Sportage’s global sales reached the 7 million milestone – a feat it achieved in 30 years since its market debut in 1993.

Over the past three decades, Kia has rolled out five generations of the Sportage SUV.

German automobile magazine Auto Bild said in September that its comparative analysis of hybrid vehicles showed the Kia Sportage to outperform Toyota Motor Corp.’s flagship hybrid RAV4.

The Sportage Hybrid was recognized for having higher driving convenience and efficiency, alongside better connectivity and shape, than the Japanese automaker’s RAV4.

Write to Jin-Won Kim at jin1@hankyung.com

In-Soo Nam edited this article.