Top 5 Kia UK Best-Sellers Of 2013

The Kia brand has become well endorsed in the field of customer care in recent years.

Record breaking warranties certainly played a major factor in such highly rated customer satisfaction surveys.

Buyers in the UK have been able to enjoy a rather generous seven year/100,000 mile warranty period, which for the first series of customers, is due to expire very soon.

Ever since the introduction of this scheme, with the announcement of production of the Cee’d in Slovakia, the Kia brand has experienced rising sales across the UK market.

Furthermore, the warranty is transferable once the owner decides to sell the car on the likes of carsales and other various classifieds, which also qualifies Kia products as superb used purchases.

In May 2013, sales exceeded the 500,000 mark since the brand’s introduction to the market in 1991.

With a steady increase from 31,324 units in 2008 to an impressive 72,090 sales in 2013, Kia has certainly exceeded early expectations.

5 Best-Selling Kia Models In The UK

With 2013’s sales proving spectacular, the current year’s forecast is certainly looking great for the South Korean brand in this particular market.

To determine which models have the strongest appeal in the British Isles, we have compiled a top five list of 2013’s best selleing cars.

5 – Kia Venga – 6,143 Sales

Kia’s entry into the supermini MPV sector certainly proved a valiant contender.

Fighting off fierce competition from the Nissan Note and the twined Hyundai ix20, a figure exceeding 6,000 units is certainly nothing to be ashamed of.

Road testers favored the 89bhp 1.4-liter petrol unit due to its nippy on-road performance and a respectable fuel consumption, despite the diesel unit’s far superior consumption figure.

4 – Rio – 11,314 Sales

A vast improvement on previous generations, the Kia Rio has certainly become a worthwhile budget competitor.

The Rio’s low price made it a sensible alternative to many competing superminis, however the ride and refinement could not compete with the best-selling Ford Fiesta.

With this in mind, a Rio in any guise makes sense when considering it’s sub-£10,000 ($16,700, 12,100€) starting price. Not to mention the generous cabin space and wonderful seven year warranty  – unmatched by many rivals.

3 – Picanto – 13,875 Sales

Kia’s resident supermini certainly impressed the company executives, grabbing a respectable third place with 13,875 sales in 2013.

The entry level 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol version is one of the cheapest superminis in the entire European market.

A smart buyer would opt for the four-cylinder 1.25-liter Ecodynamics unit, which is slightly more spritely on the road and also exempt from the UK’s road tax scheme.

Low purchasing costs and running costs aside, the Picanto is also incredibly reliable.

In January 2013, the Picanto was voted the most reliable car in Britain by Moneysupermarket.com in association with Warranty Direct. Hence it’s really little wonder that the tiny Picanto has achieved such great results.

2 – Cee’d – 14,021 Sales

The second generation Cee’d was a turning point for the Korean brand.

Prior to the current model, Kia were considered budget and down-market against their European competitors.

However, the arrival of the new model in 2012 really raised some eyebrows.

The cabin was suddenly a very pleasant place to be, with many options now available which compete with the likes of the Vauxhall/Opel Astra and Ford Focus.

The boot space swallowed more luggage than a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus, and the 126 bhp 1.6 CRDi pleased the most critics with its six-speed gearbox and decent acceleration.

Not to mention that the design certainly proved more provocative and likeable than the outgoing model. Little wonder then that the Cee’d sold as well as it did last year.

1 – Sportage – 20,796 Sales

The undisputed king of the British sales figures from 2013 is a deserving winner.

With looks that could kill, and equipment levels which rival the likes of the Honda CRV and Mazda CX-5, the third generation Sportage won the affection of over 20,000 buyers.

The 2.0-liter CRDi diesel unit, producing 134bhp, is the preferred engine choice due to its superior performance to the smaller 114bhp 1.7-litre CRDi unit.

So with the first set of customers wishing their fondest farewells to their seven year warranty periods, perspective buyers in the years to come can be safe in the knowledge that the Kia brand will continue to offer such amazing offers.

Also, buyers activities in the UK market have clearly favored the current Cee’d and Sportage by a huge margin.

Furthermore, 2014 should be a great year for the brand, which are currently releasing the cee’d GT 5-door hot hatcback into this market now.