Kia just broke another sales record, and this time the headline belongs to affordable models that most people can actually afford. Sedans and budget-friendly crossovers led the charge to 852,155 sales in 2025, marking their third straight record year. While other brands struggle to move expensive inventory, Kia keeps prices reasonable, and buyers continue to show up.

• Kia sold 852,155 vehicles in 2025, setting a new record for the third year running.
• Four affordable models posted their best years ever, with prices starting well below the industry average.
• Sedan sales jumped 13% while most brands abandoned the category entirely.

Affordable Pricing Drives Real Results

Walk into most dealerships today, and you’ll hear the same complaint: cars are too expensive. Average new vehicle prices now hover around $48,000, pricing out a huge chunk of buyers. Kia looked at that number and went the opposite direction.

Sales of the K5 midsize sedan rocketed from 46,311 to 72,751 units in 2025. Starting at $27,490, it costs about half the industry average. Even a loaded GT model with the turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive stays under $34,000. Pricing like that gets people signing papers.

Kia’s K4 compact sedan kept rolling too, selling 140,514 units. Sportage compact crossover sales set a new record at 182,823, up from 161,917 the year before. None of these are niche models – they’re mainstream vehicles that people buy because they make financial sense.

Sedans Sell When You Price Them Right

You hear it constantly: nobody wants sedans anymore. Tell that to Kia’s 13% jump in sedan sales. While other manufacturers killed off their car lines to focus on SUVs, Kia stuck with sedans and found plenty of buyers.

Niro sales show another winning strategy. You can get it as an EV, plug-in hybrid, or regular hybrid starting at $27,090. Sales hit 31,182 units, up about 1,000 from 2024. Giving buyers options at that price point clearly works.

Even the quirky Soul continues finding buyers. This boxy little hatchback starts around $21,885 and packs way more interior space than its footprint suggests. Plenty of shoppers typing “Kia Soul near me” into search bars want something different that doesn’t drain their bank account. Soul is heading out after the 2025 model year, but its sales prove there’s still demand for affordable, practical vehicles with personality.

Electric Sales Growing Without Six-Figure Price Tags

EV sales at Kia climbed 24% in 2025, but here’s what matters: they’re doing it without asking customers to spend luxury car money. EV6 starts at $42,600, and the three-row EV9 kicks off under $55,000. Prices sound expensive until you compare them to other electric SUVs.

EV9 moved 22,017 units in 2024, while EV6 sold 21,715. Not Tesla numbers, but they show solid growth. People will buy EVs if they can afford them and actually get decent range. Kia figured that out while other brands keep launching $80,000+ electric vehicles and wondering why sales disappoint.

What Car Shoppers Should Know

Kia’s success sends a clear message to the auto industry: most buyers want good cars at fair prices. Nobody needs 500 horsepower or premium leather in every trim level. People need reliable transportation that doesn’t require a second mortgage.

Sales grew from 625,000 units a decade ago to over 850,000 now. That’s listening to what people actually want, not luck. With over 775 dealers across the country and models built in America, Kia made it easy to find and buy these affordable vehicles.

If you’re shopping for a new car and sticker shock keeps pushing you toward used inventory, Kia’s lineup deserves a look. K4 starts in the low $20,000s, K5 under $28,000, and even the three-row Telluride begins around $36,000. You get a new car with a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty, not a used vehicle with unknown history.

Other manufacturers might want to pay attention. While they chase profit margins with expensive trucks and luxury SUVs, Kia proves there’s a massive market for cars that regular people can actually buy. Three consecutive record years suggest they’re onto something the rest of the industry forgot.