The rise of Kia
Though I generally take little more than a passing interest in the new-car market, I did ‘notice’ one bit of interesting news a couple of months back. In January 2022, for the first time in its history, Kia was the most popular make of car sold in the UK, with the new Kia Sportage the UK’s single top-seller.
Of course, these are odd times, and with the current supply chain difficulties and after-effects of the pandemic still very much around, it’s important not to read too much into one month’s figures. let’s not forget either that while January 2022 was 28% up on (mid-lockdown) January 2021, the market was still 23% down on pre-pandemic levels. Which, of course, is what’s making the current used market so strong.
But despite all that, this is still a remarkable achievement for a brand which, not so long ago, many commentators were still damning with faint
