Kia continues to build momentum in the United States, and May 2026 turned into one of the company’s strongest sales months ever.
The Korean automaker shattered multiple records at once, including new highs for monthly sales, retail sales, and year-to-date deliveries.
The company sold 80,502 vehicles in May alone, putting Kia within striking distance of Hyundai’s U.S. sales totals. Even more impressive, the brand achieved those results despite discontinuing the Soul crossover, which had long been one of Kia’s volume sellers in America.
Strong demand for SUVs, minivans, hybrids, and electric vehicles helped power the surge. Several models posted their best May sales performances ever, while electrified vehicles saw especially dramatic growth. Kia now appears firmly on pace for another record-breaking year.
Telluride And Sportage Continue To Dominate
Kia’s SUV lineup once again carried the brand’s sales success, led by the Sportage and Telluride. The Sportage remained Kia’s top-selling vehicle in May with 18,405 units sold, representing a 7.9% increase compared to the same month last year. Both hybrid and gasoline versions of the compact SUV contributed to the model’s best-ever May performance.
Close behind was the Telluride, which delivered another massive result with 13,665 sales. That marked an 18.2% increase year-over-year and continued a remarkable streak for Kia’s flagship SUV. The Telluride has now posted five consecutive months of record sales.
Kia’s Sorento and Seltos also performed strongly, climbing 11.4% and 11.2% respectively. Even the Carnival minivan continued gaining traction, posting an impressive 15.6% increase with more than 8,000 units sold during the month.
Electrified Models See Huge Gains
One of the biggest surprises in Kia’s latest sales report was the rapid growth of its electrified lineup. Hybrid sales jumped 179% year-over-year, while EV sales also posted notable gains.
Leading the charge (pun totally intended) was the three-row Kia EV9, which recorded 1,647 sales in May after essentially being absent from the market a year ago. That translated into an eye-catching 4,351% increase.
While the EV6 saw a slight decline, the EV9’s growth suggests larger electric SUVs may be gaining traction with buyers, particularly as fuel prices continue climbing across the United States.
Kia executives believe the company’s broad powertrain strategy is helping attract customers regardless of whether they want gasoline, hybrid, or fully electric vehicles.
“Even as consumer preferences continue to evolve, Kia continues to break retail, monthly and year-to-date sales records thanks to our wide range of ICE, hybrid and electrified models,” said Eric Watson, vice president of sales operations for Kia America. That flexibility may be paying off at exactly the right time as consumer demand remains somewhat unpredictable.
The Soul’s Exit Makes The Results More Impressive
Kia’s strong performance becomes even more notable when considering the disappearance of the Soul from the lineup. The quirky compact crossover was once one of Kia’s defining products in America and routinely generated strong sales numbers.
In May 2025 alone, Kia sold more than 5,000 Souls. This May, the company sold just seven remaining examples.
Despite losing one of its longtime volume leaders, Kia still managed to post record numbers across multiple categories. That suggests the rest of the lineup has matured enough to absorb the loss without slowing overall growth.
The newly introduced K4 sedan is also beginning to establish itself as a Forte replacement, although combined K4/Forte sales still slipped slightly year-over-year. Even so, Kia’s overall product portfolio appears healthier and more balanced than ever.
Kia’s Momentum Shows No Signs Of Slowing
Through the first five months of 2026, Kia has now sold 360,220 vehicles in the United States. That represents a 2% increase compared to the same period last year and sets another year-to-date record for the brand.
The company’s momentum also comes despite growing economic uncertainty, rising interest rates, and ongoing affordability concerns affecting much of the auto industry.
Kia’s diverse lineup may be helping shield it from some of those pressures. Buyers looking for affordable transportation still have smaller crossovers and sedans to choose from, while customers seeking larger family vehicles or electrified options also have multiple choices throughout the lineup.
The Telluride, in particular, continues to exceed expectations years after its original launch. Kia recently introduced the updated 2027 model, and demand appears stronger than ever.
“With five consecutive months of record-breaking sales, the flagship 2027 Telluride continues to shatter all initial expectations,” Watson said. If current trends continue, Kia could be headed toward the strongest sales year in company history.