Tucked away in a press release about global sales results in August is news about what Kia has in store for the remainder of the year. Previously known as the Optima, the K5 midsize sedan will get a mid-cycle update later in 2023, roughly four years after the fifth-generation model was unveiled. We’ll also be seeing a facelift for the Carnival minivan, even though the fourth-gen family hauler made its debut in June 2020.
The updated K5 is rumored to receive a curved dual-screen setup akin to the latest K8 while the Carnival is said to get a hybrid powertrain but nothing is official yet. The MPV could get the same screen layout, along with additional equipment on top of the already generous amenities.
These two will be joined by the recently unveiled Sorento facelift and the EV9 three-row SUV, while the Rio and Stinger will be going away from the US lineup after the 2023 model year. We’re getting the impression Kia’s lineup is always changing through mid-cycle updates and next-generation cars as there’s always something new around the corner. Globally, the EV5 was unveiled last week, and before that, the new K3 compact sedan made its debut.
But what about the sales numbers we mentioned at the beginning? Well, Kia is having a great 2023 so far as deliveries to customers have increased by 8.9 percent through August. In the first eight months of the year, the Asian brand sold 2,092,200 vehicles all over the world, 354,275 at home in South Korea, and 1,565,838 in export markets. Demand increased by 7.8 percent in its domestic market and by 9 percent outside of it.
