Kia Motors enjoyed a 36% increase in sales last month after it sold 174,505 vehicles across the globe.

Kia year-to-date global vehicle sales are up 43.8% year-on-year, with UK year-to-date Kia vehicle sales up by 140% year-on-year.

It has sold 25,901 vehicles here so far this year.

Hyoung-Keun Lee, president of Kia Motors Corporation, said: "Kia's sales performance around the world so far in 2010 has been buoyed by strong customer demand for our smaller segment vehicles like our C-segment models and B-segment passenger cars, such as Rio, as well as our competitive recreational vehicles like the all-new Sorento."

"With completely redesigned and reengineered models like the next generation Sportage and Magentis D-segment sedan due to go on sale later this year, we expect to see even more positive changes in consumer perceptions toward the Kia brand in the months ahead."