KIA SALES REACH 65,000 UNITS IN FIRST QUARTER
10 April 2006 - Kia

Steady growth in line with 2006 Business and Product Plan

First Quarter sales reach highest level at 65,179 units

Picanto and Sorento models retain top places in Kia’s sales chart

During the first quarter of 2006, European Kia dealers delivered a total of 65,179 units, to record a solid 3% gain over 2005, in line with Kia’s business and product plans for 2006, a year the company views as a period of consolidation. Picanto sales (19,566 units) led from Sorento (10,721), Sportage (9,468), Rio (8,301) and Cerato (5,473) – to complete Kia’s Top 5 sellers table for the quarter.

For the third month of 2006, Kia’s top selling models were the Picanto small car (with 8,810 sales), heading the award-winning Sorento SUV (4,245 sales), the
compact 4x4 Sportage (3,620 sales) and the New Rio B-segment hatchback, performing strongly with 3,532 units delivered. Total sales for March were 28,070 vehicles, an all-time high for the month, climbing 1% above 2005 levels.

''Our sales results for the first three months of 2006, more than 65,000 units, are in line with our business objectives to achieve steady growth during a year when we are so busy with many new model introductions and aim to consolidate our position in Europe,'' commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President Kia Motors Europe.

''In this landmark year for Kia, New Magentis reaches showrooms this month, New Carnival and new generation Sorento are coming to dealers soon, and we will reveal our all-new Carens at the Madrid Motor Show in May. Later, Kia will become a European car manufacturer during December, so 2006 is sure to be a landmark year for Kia in Europe,'' concluded Lievens.

Kia Motors records 6.3% rise in export sales in March

Kia Motors Corporation has announced that its overseas sales of passenger cars and light trucks in March 2006 totalled 78,966 units, representing a 6.3% year-on-year increase. Outside Europe, sales in the general market and North America recorded 17,100 units (9.9% year-on-year increase) and 29,200 (3.5% year-on-year increase), respectively.

So far in 2006, Kia’s RV models have led the company’s growth, posting a 21.3% increase in overseas sales compared to the first three months of last year.
Meanwhile, the Sorento SUV was the company’s leading seller from January through March of 2006, with 29,449 units sold. Other popular selling models
overseas through the first quarter of the year include the A-segment Picanto (27,902 units), Sportage compact SUV (26,538 units) and the B-segment Rio (26,461 units).

Jung-Moon Park, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation, said, ''The enthusiastic reception of our RV models in overseas
markets, including MPVs and SUVs, has been a driving force behind the booming success of the Kia brand in recent years.''

''And with the short-wheelbase version of the all-new Carnival, upgraded 2006 Sorento SUV and the completely redesigned Carens compact MPV (to be named ‘Rondo’ in North America) all scheduled to reach Kia dealer showrooms this year, we expect that our improved product line will offer the quality, styling, performance and functionality that the world’s customers demand.''

www.kia.co.uk

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