KIA PHILIPPINES (KP Motors Corp.) is targeting 12,500 car sales this year, according to its chief operating officer (COO).
“We are aiming to hit 12,500 cars this year, which represents an 86% growth from the nearly 7,000 units we sold last year,” said Brian James Buendia, COO of Kia Philippines, during the launch of the new Sorento on Thursday.
“It is aspirational, and we already have the formula in place. Last year, we achieved a 33% growth despite facing some supply challenges. Now, as we ramp up our Sonet supply and introduce new models, I believe it is achievable,” he added.
Kia Philippines ranked as the tenth top-selling brand, according to a joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA).
In 2024, Kia Philippines sold 6,692 units, marking a 33% increase from the 5,033 units sold in 2023, representing a 1.43% market share.
“We finished the year at 1.4%, but in the last six months of 2023, we were already achieving a 1.7% to 1.8% market share. For this year, with a full year of Kia Sonet sales, we expect to increase our market share to at least 2.1% to 2.5%,” Mr. Buendia said.
Mr. Buendia noted that the Kia Sonet and the newly launched Sorento Turbo Hybrid will drive sales growth this year.
On Thursday, Kia Philippines, a subsidiary of Mobility, launched the Sorento Turbo Hybrid, available in three variants: EX Turbo Hybrid FWD, EX+ Turbo Hybrid FWD, and SX Turbo Hybrid AWD, with prices ranging from P2.188 million to P2.888 million.
For 2025, Mr. Buendia said Kia Philippines is aiming to sell 1,500 to 2,000 units of the Sorento Turbo Hybrid.
“The growth this year will be supported by the Sorento, as well as the Sonet. The Sonet will have full-year exposure this year, unlike last year, when we sold nearly 7,000 units but for only half the year. It was our best-seller,” he said.
“We will have the Sonet available for the entire year, which will definitely help drive our numbers, along with the Sorento and our new hybrid lineup for the Carnival,” he added.
In addition to the Sorento launched on Thursday, Mr. Buendia mentioned that Kia is exploring other models tailored to the Philippine market.
“It’s easy to bring cars here, but now we are learning to study the market first before introducing new models. We already have a few models for testing that I cannot yet reveal,” he said.
“If those cars show positive results in our research, we’ll definitely bring them in. We are always open to opportunities and aim to align the entire Kia lineup with the electrification of AC mobility,” he added.
In addition to new models, Mr. Buendia said Kia is focusing on the quality of its 40 dealerships to support sales growth.
“If you visit Kia dealerships now, you’ll see they have adopted the new Kia store image, complete with the new logo. This started in 2022, and we’re now at around 70% of our Kia dealers using the new corporate logo,” he said.
“Along with that, we’re implementing new customer experience training across all dealerships, focusing on end-to-end customer engagement. We believe this will be a significant driver of our growth,” he added.
Kia offers a wide range of vehicles, including internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid, and fully electric vehicles (EVs). However, Mr. Buendia said that ICE vehicles will remain the main growth driver for 2025.
“For 2025, we expect ICE vehicles to continue leading our growth. Our ICE offerings cater to the lower segment, including subcompact SUVs (sports utility vehicles) like the Kia Sonet,” he said.
“While our electrified models, such as hybrids and EVs, are currently positioned in the premium segment, the ICE models will still dominate sales,” he added.
Specifically, he said ICE models are expected to account for 70-75% of the company’s sales in 2025. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
