Kia Just Had Its Best June Ever As Hybrid Sales Skyrocket

Kia’s broad range of powertrain options, including fully electric and hybrids, is attracting buyers.

2026 Kia Sportage

Photo by: Kia

Anthony Alaniz

By: Anthony Alaniz

Jul 1, at 11:00am ET

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The Breakdown

Kia just had its best June sales results ever.
Kia’s electrified models saw huge sales increases.
Kia also had its best first-half sales results ever.

New cars are more expensive than ever, but that’s not slowing down buyers, especially those who want a Kia. The Korean automaker has posted its sales results for June and the first half of 2026—and Kia is quite happy with them.

The automaker just had its best June ever, selling 70,507 vehicles, up 10 percent from the same month last year. Leading the sales surge were Kia’s hybrids. The electrified versions of the Sportage, Sorento, and Carnival saw sales rise 165 percent, 114 percent, and 56 percent, respectively.

The Kia Telluride (+24 percent) and Kia Seltos (+56 percent) also contributed to the automaker’s strong June sales result. Only two models saw their sales decline last month: the Kia EV6 and Kia K4. Sales of the EV9 are down overall in the first six months of 2026, but sales of the K4 are up.

Model June 2026 Sales June 2025 Sales 2026 Year-To-Date Sales 2025 Year-To-Date Sales Kia EV9 1,299 913 7,035 4,938 Kia EV6 584 680 4,043 5,875 Kia K4 10,553 11,564 73,579 75,535 Kia K5 6,378 5,613 38,394 34,565 Kia Soul 3 4,737 3,480 26,126 Kia NIro 2,048 1,966 13,767 11,788 Kia Seltos 6,627 4,259 32,504 24,939 Kia Sportage 15,995 12,630 94,907 87,172 Kia Sorento 8,602 7,050 49,348 50,919 Kia Telluride 11,432 9,239 73,602 61,502 Kia Carnival 6,986 5,198 40,068 33,152 Total 70,507 63,849 430,727 416,511

Kia’s Strong First-Half Sales

So far this year, Kia has sold 430,727 vehicles, about 15,000 more than at this time in 2025, and an increase of 3.4 percent. Kia’s electrified models saw the largest increase. Hybrid sales were up 115 percent through June, while electrified sales increased by 68 percent.

Eric Watson, Kia America’s vice president of sales and operations, attributed the brand’s success to its broad lineup of powertrains. He said:

‘The results illustrate our ability to react to shifting market demands by resetting our showrooms with the right mix of ICE, hybrid and electrified models.’

Mixed EV Sales

While demand for the Kia EV6 has slipped, consumers are interested in Kia’s three-row battery-electric vehicle, the EV9. Sales for the big SUV are up in June and through the first half of the year.

Kia sold 1,299 EV9s last month, bringing total sales to 7,035 so far this year. That’s up from 4,938 sold in the first six months of 2025. Kia sold about 100 fewer EV6s in June, down from 680 to 583.

What do you think?

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So far this year, Kia has sold 265 more EVs than in the first half of 2025: 11,078 versus 10,813.

Motor1’s Take: Kia’s broad range of powertrains is attracting consumers. The company offers several fuel-efficient hybrids in segments where consumers care about value, and that seems to be a winning strategy right now.

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