▲ This file photo provided by Kia Corp. shows its Sportage PHEV model. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Kia-Feb sales

Kia's Feb. sales rise 15 pct despite chip shortage

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Thursday its sales rose 15 percent last month from a year earlier on improved product mix and production despite a chip shortage.

Kia, a smaller affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., sold a total of 254,027 vehicles in February, up from 221,472 units a year ago, the company said in a statement.

Domestic sales climbed 27 percent on-year to 50,016 units last month from 39,413, while overseas sales were up 3.9 percent to 203,708 from 181,910 during the cited period on higher demand for the Sportage, Sorento and Seltos SUVs, it said.

"The monthly sales were buoyed by an improved product mix focusing on SUVs and environment friendly models and increased production," the company said.

From January to February, its sales were up 13 percent to 489,132 autos from 434,711 units in the same period of last year.

In 2023, the company set a sales goal of 3.2 million units, including overseas sales of 2.6 million.

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