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November Kia sales in USA off 38 percent compared to last year
Kia Motors America today reported sales numbers for the month of November. The company has once again experienced a slow month with sales falling as much as 38 percent compared to November 2007. Last month, dealers across USA managed to sell 15,182 Kia vehicles. The number represents a sharp decline from a year earlier, when more than 24,000 units were sold.
In addition to monthly sales, Kia Motors America also provides year-to-date sales. Car sales through eleven months of fiscal year have totaled 258,753 units, meaning Kia is about 25,000 units away from last year when 281,405 units were sold by November.
November sales were led by Spectra and Sorento, with Sorento posting a 47.3-percent increase over the same period last year. They were followed by Sedona, which has outsould Rio last month.
Facelifted Optima didn’t do as good as we were used to see in previous months, but that is most probably because dealers have not yet received enough 2009 models, so I expect to see it’s sales picking up shortly.
November has been a bad month for Borrego, but a great one for Amanti. Only 190 units of Borrego were sold, bringing it’s up to date sales to 1,630 units. Borrego’s sales result from last three months proves that these are really not the best times to successfully sell a large-sized SUV.
The Kia vehicle I follow with a passion is well up for the month in the US for some reason, the mighty Sorento.
How would you like to work in marketing for a Auto company, you could never pick the whims of a customer at a certain period of time.
From what I’ve been told, where I work (one of three local Kia dealers under the same ownership) we’ve only sold 1 Borrego, and it was to a guy with enough money to also buy his two sons each a Sportage. Estimated total cost is between $61,065 and $81,505 (for the sake of this, I’m acting as if he paid the entire MSRP up front, “in cash” and is not doing any financing, and that he had no trade-ins). The lower total price is if it were the lowest priced vehicles: (two of) $17,035 for the 4 cylinder, manual transmission, front wheel drive LX Sportage and $26,995 for the V6 2WD LX Borrego; the higher price is (two of) $23,880 for the V6, 4WD (automatic only for all V6 models) EX Sportage and $33,745 for the V8, 4WD EX Borrego. Prices are in US Dollars and do not include taxes, licenses, etc. We’re also apparently giving the guy any accessories he wants, gratis. Pricing information taken from http://www.kia.com Build & Price as of this writing.
Also found out we’ll be getting a Soul to sit in the showroom sometime soon. The caveat is no one is allowed to test drive it or “buy it”, it’s just there as a demo to look at and (possibly?) sit in. According to the specs for the Soul, there are over 60 accessories available, so I’m guessing it will have at least a few of the accessories installed.
I think 25,000 Kias sold in December is possible, though a difficult challenge. Good luck to Kia Motors of America and all it’s sales persons!
Oh yeah- Himi, is there anyway the model figures could be broken down even more- Rio and Rio 5, Spectra and Spectra 5, Sedona LWB and SWB (long and short wheel base)? I’m curious which sells more of each model type.
Only 190 Borregos? Ouch. I hope this number picks up now that gas is dirt cheap.
Yes, but 1630 ‘year to date’ and it hasn’t been released that long. Check out the other big 3 in the US, they are almost dead and will be if the government doesn’t throw them a few billion each, quiet a few billion as a matter of fact. I see the CEO of GM is willing to take a pay cut down to $1 per year, that big hearted of him. of course he’ll still be getting all the other lurks and perks he been used to.
“Yes, but 1630 ‘year to date’ and it hasn’t been released that long…”
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Borrego has gone on sale 3 or 4 months ago and in it’s first full month it’s sales reached almost 1000 units, while in the next two months it’s sales fell to 200-300 units.
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Hope it gets up since gas has been so cheap lately.
Well when you have a $27,000+ vehicle, customers want more than a $2000 rebate. The only way for Kia to get good sales in December is for them to put huge rebates on them. Screw the low APR, most people don’t have that good of credit anyway. They need high rebates, and good TV advertising. I have been seeing more Kia commercials lately, but almost every other commercial is a “Happy Honda Days” commercial, so it is pretty competitive.
Hey everybody! Check out the new Kia .com!!!! It looks so awesome!
Thanx for the information Greg!
Jason: Nope, unfortunately, I can not provide such information. I’m interested to know that too, but don’t know where to find such details. Perhaps at KMA but don’t know if they would give it away.