It's been 25 years, but Kia has hit the 750k UK sales mark, the Pride was the first, the Sportage, the 750,000th.

• In its 25 year in the UK Kia has sold 750,000 cars
• Customer Peter Holland collected his Sportage GT-Line from Draycotts
• Draycotts of Sutton in Ashfield also celebrating 25 years as a Kia Dealer

Kia Motors (UK) Ltd is celebrating selling its 750,000 car in the UK since the brand first started trading here in 1991. Established in South Korea in 1944 Kia sold just under 1,800 cars in that first year in the UK, a figure that it now sells on average every two weeks across its 188 strong dealer network.

The owner of the 750,000 car - Peter Holland - picked up his all-new Sportage 2.0 CRDI GT-Line from Draycotts in Sutton in Ashfield. On hand to congratulate Peter was Paul Philpott CEO and President of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd and Wayne Draycott, Dealer Principal. Draycotts have been a Kia dealership right from the start in 1991 when Kia was importing cars such as the Kia Pride.

Owner Mr Holland said; “This is my fifth Kia and what keeps me coming back is the excellent customer service and attention to detail here at Draycotts. I’m proud to share Kia’s landmark moment and I’m really looking forward to driving my new Sportage.” Mr Holland has previously owned two cee’d and two Sportage models since coming to the brand in 2007.

The Picanto – Pride’s replacement – has been the biggest seller in the UK since its introduction in 2004 with over 152,000 sold to date. Peter joins a long succession of Sportage owners stretching back to its launch in 1995. The Sportage – now in its fourth generation has sold close to 140,000 models and is the second bestselling model for Kia – 13,000 of those sales have come in the last three months since its launch in February.

Paul Philpott, CEO and President of Kia said; “To reach such a milestone in Kia’s history in such a short space of time – particularly in the last five years – is testament to our growing brand presence and the strength of our design and customer appeal. Loyal customers such as Peter are an important part of our success as is our excellent dealer network within the UK and I wish him many happy miles in his new Sportage.”

Nearly half of the 750,000 sales have been in the last five years with sales expecting to reach the one million mark by 2020.