Kia Motors US sales soar 48.2 pct in Nov

Kia Motors America (KMA) on Wednesday reported that its US auto sales soared an impressive 48.2 percent, led by strong sales of Sorento models and recently introduced vehicles - the Soul, Forte and Forte Koup, the Sorento, Sportage and the all-new Optima.

The carmaker sold 26,601 vehicles in November as against 17,955 units sold during the same period a year ago.

KMA's sales were led in November by the U.S.-built (1) 2011 Sorento with sales of 9,618 units. Sorento has been Kia's best-selling vehicle since it went on sale in January, and together with the brand's stable of other recently introduced vehicles - the Soul, Forte and Forte Koup, and the Sorento, Sportage and all-new Optima - accounted for 84.3 percent of the monthly sales volume, the carmaker said in a statement.

Surpassing our previous best annual U.S. sales mark in just 11 months is the ultimate proof of the dramatic impact Kia's design-led transformation is having on the brand in terms of increased consumer awareness and consideration of Kia, said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO of KMA and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG).

Our transformation continues with the all-new 2011 Optima now arriving in showrooms, to be followed in the coming months by the introduction of our first turbocharged and hybrid vehicles in the U.S.

KMA is the marketing and distribution arm of Seoul, South Korea-based KIA Motors Corp, offering a complete line of vehicles through more than 725 dealers throughout the United States.