KIA and Peugeot have bucked the market downturn in the September new car sales figures.
A total of 47,523 cars have been sold by Kia over the last 12 months – a 36.6 per cent increase over last year when 34,777 were sold.
Retail sales for the year up to the end of September totaled 34,054 cars. Compared to the same period last year when a total of 25,283 units were sold. 2010’s figures are up almost 35 per cent.
Meanwhile Peugeot has posted increased sales figures of 12.7 per cent, improving their market share from 5.01 per cent in 2009 to 5.46 per cent this year.
Strong sales of the 107 and 207 have been a factor, says Peugeot, with both models accounting for 3.31 per cent of sales. The month also saw the sporty RCZ recording its strongest sales perfomance yet – 714 RCZs were sold making a total of 1,450 cars sold since its launch in June.
Managing director of Kia Motors (UK), Michael Cole, said: ‘Our performance over the year has been outstanding and the underlying trend among retail customers remains extremely positive.
‘Of course our September figures appear to be down but only because we are comparing a normal September to one buoyed by scrappage last year when we recorded our best ever one-month total of 9,778.
‘The reality is that Kia is continuing to grow strongly among retail customers thanks to our excellent new product and simple to understand seven year warranty.’
By James Batchelor
