Kia Reports Record Sales Month; October Sales Up 79 Percent Versus Year Ago

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 1 -- Kia today announced its best sales month ever, selling 24,523 vehicles, a 79-percent increase over October 2000. This is the second time in three months Kia has set a monthly sales record. With year-to-date sales of 189,424, the Korean carmaker is 42 percent ahead of last year's record sales pace.

Among Kia models, the Sportage sport-utility vehicle enjoyed strong sales of 6,759 units, while the Spectra compact sedan and Rio subcompact sedan kept the sales momentum with 4,933 and 4,205 units sold, respectively. Sales of the all-new Sedona minivan totaled 2,620 for the month.

Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea.

                             MONTH OF OCTOBER            YEAR-TO-DATE

     Model                   2001        2000          2001         2000

     Optima                  3,019         n/a        21,062          n/a
     Rio                     4,205       3,536        44,260       10,421
     Sedona                  2,620         n/a         9,932          n/a
     Sephia                  2,807       4,080        46,575       60,057
     Spectra                 4,933       1,598        22,159        9,226
     Sportage                6,759       4,249        42,276       50,184
     Sportage 2-Door
      Convertible              180         263         3,160        3,565

     Total                  24,523      13,726       189,424      133,453