18:36 02-01-2026

Kia's 2025 U.S. market momentum: refreshed models, K4, hybrids and EVs

In the U.S. market, 2025 largely belonged to the usual leaders, yet the year’s standout momentum didn’t come from the domestic giants. According to industry watchers, the most improved brand in America was Kia: it was closing out the year on a path to its best result since arriving in the market and kept pressing rivals across the mainstream classes.

Kia’s playbook reads as pragmatic. The brand entered the year on the back of solid sales and refreshed the high-volume models right when it mattered: facelifts for the Sorento and Sportage, an update for the K5 sedan, and the Carnival, which added a hybrid version and became more attractive to families considering options like the Pacifica and Sienna. That kind of timing tends to resonate with everyday U.S. buyers.

The second decisive step was a bet on fresh metal. The new K4 sedan arrived as the Forte’s successor and, unexpectedly, connected with shoppers. Next comes a range expansion toward a 2026 hatchback aimed squarely at the Corolla and Civic, a move that should keep the pressure on compact-class stalwarts.

In parallel, Kia is shoring up what now counts as table stakes for top contenders in the U.S.: a wide electrified lineup. The brand offers hybrid and plug-in versions of the Niro, Sportage, and Sorento, a hybrid Carnival, and dedicated EVs in the EV6 and EV9. Covering both hybrids and full EVs helps hedge in a market still finding its rhythm on electrification.

And there’s more on the way: 2026 is set to bring new products and updates, with the next generation of the big Telluride on the horizon and potential hybrid variants in popular segments.