Kia vehicles top 3 bestselling car models during Jan.-Sept. period

The top three bestselling car models in South Korea during the first nine months of the year were all found to be those of Kia Corp., industry data showed Monday. According to industry sales data, Kia dominated the top three spots in cumulative domestic sales during the January-September period. Kia's Sorento sport utility vehicle ranked first with 67,314 units sold, followed by the company's Carnival minivan with 62,352 units and the Sportage SUV in third with 56,063 units. Hyundai Motor's Santa Fe SUV ranked fourth with 56,042 units, followed by Hyundai's pickup truck Porter and flagship sedan Grandeur, known as the Azera overseas, with 53,365 units and 51,964 units, respectively. Industry watchers expect the Sorento to become the bestselling car model for the year. The automotive industry attributes Kia's strong performance to the growing consumer preference for SUVs over sedans, along with increased demand for hybrid vehicles as electric vehicle adoption faces a temporary slowdown. Kia's Sorento, Ca rnival and Sportage all offer hybrid versions, catering to consumers seeking more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly options, according to industry watchers. Source: Yonhap News Agency