Kia UK has recorded its strongest-ever July, registering 9,870 vehicles across its passenger car and Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) ranges, driven by strong demand for the EV3 and the newly-launched PV5 electric van.
According to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Kia registered 9,086 passenger cars in July alone, taking its cumulative 2026 total to 71,931 units. Across the combined car and light commercial vehicle market, Kia ranked third in the UK for the month and third year-to-date, while in the passenger car segment specifically it secured second place for both July and the year so far.
The EV3 was the standout performer, finishing as the UK’s second best-selling electric car in July with 1,691 registrations, behind only the Renault 5. It was also Kia’s fastest-selling EV to date and previously topped the What Car? Reliability Survey for small SUVs with a perfect 100 per cent score. July also marked a first for the PV5 electric van, with more than 1,000 units registered in a single month for the first time — 784 PV5 Cargo and 235 PV5 Passenger models. Year-to-date, the PV5 Cargo remains the UK’s best-selling electric van, having comfortably exceeded Kia’s original sales expectations since launch.
Kia finished July as the UK’s best-selling electric vehicle brand overall, with 3,731 battery-electric registrations, and posted its highest-ever BEV mix at 41 per cent of total sales. Kia UK President and CEO Paul Philpott said the brand’s record July “reinforces our position among the UK’s best-selling automotive brands,” pointing to continued strength in the Sportage alongside the EV3 and PV5’s momentum heading into the rest of 2026.
For fleets and drivers watching the wider market, it’s a notable shift — electric vehicles accounted for almost one in four new cars sold in the UK in July, and Kia’s PV5 in particular is being watched closely by taxi, private hire and airport transfer operators as a potential diesel replacement thanks to its payload capacity and seven-year/100,000-mile warranty.
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