Seoul: Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, reported a 7.3 percent increase in sales for September compared to the same period last year, driven by heightened demand both domestically and internationally. The company sold a total of 268,238 vehicles in September, an increase from the 249,900 vehicles sold a year earlier, as per the company's official release.

According to Yonhap News Agency, domestic sales saw a significant rise of 28.5 percent year-on-year, reaching 49,001 units, while overseas sales experienced a growth of 3.7 percent, amounting to 218,782 units. The Sportage compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) led international sales with 43,172 units, followed by the Seltos subcompact SUV at 22,087 units, and the K3 sedan with 18,662 units sold.

Kia's cumulative sales for the January to September period increased by 2.3 percent, reaching 2,372,524 units compared to 2,319,315 units during the same timeframe last year. The company also recorded its highest-ever third-quarter sales, with 784,988 units sold from July to September, surpassing the previous third-quarter record set in 2023.

A Kia official noted that the domestic market's September sales benefited from a base effect due to last year's Chuseok holiday, and robust global demand for eco-friendly models, such as SUV hybrids and the EV3 and EV4, played a role in achieving the highest third-quarter sales to date.