This year, from January to April, Kia's Sorento emerged as the top-selling domestic vehicle, with over 35,000 units sold. Following closely behind, the Carnival and Sportage ranked second and third, with approximately 29,000 and 26,000 units sold, respectively. All three top spots went to Kia's RV models.

Notably, the Kia Carnival has the highest waiting demand among Kia's lineup. The wait time for the Carnival Hybrid has decreased from 10 months to 8 months this month, but delivery remains challenging. Meanwhile, the Sorento Hybrid, which ranks first in domestic sales, also takes about 6 to 7 months for delivery.

Hyundai and Kia recorded double-digit growth in the domestic and U.S. markets in April, achieving monthly sales records. Kia's Sportage, K4, Telluride, and Carnival MPV all set new sales records in April.

The Carnival saw a 79% increase in sales in the U.S. market, largely attributed to the addition of the Carnival Hybrid option. Additionally, Kia continues to launch various new models in the U.S. market. At the recent New York International Auto Show, Kia showcased three models: the EV4 sedan, K4 hatchback, and EV9 Nightfall Edition.

Speculation about a full redesign or a second facelift for the Carnival has already begun, with anticipated renderings being released. The expected changes will align with the Kia EV6's design, and a plug-in hybrid powertrain is set to be added. It seems likely that the addition of the plug-in hybrid will easily integrate into Hyundai's lineup.

Recently, Hyundai launched the new Palisade Hybrid equipped with a 2.5-liter Smartstream 2.5 T-GDi turbo inline-four engine, a powerful electric motor, and a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The flagship SUV, the Palisade Hybrid, delivers 329 horsepower and is expected to be applied to Kia's second-generation Telluride. This development raises the possibility of launching a PHEV model with at least 350 horsepower.

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