(LEAD) Cumulative U.S. sales of Kia's K5 sedan top 1 mln in 2015

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SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- Cumulative sales of Kia Motors Corp.'s K5 midsize sedan in the United States surpassed the 1 million mark last year, 15 years after its debut in the world's second-largest auto market, industry data showed Sunday.

Kia Motors, South Korea's No. 2 carmaker, shipped 1.08 million units of the K5, sold as the Optima in the U.S., between 2000 and last year, according the data.

Last year alone, Kia Motors sold 159,414 K5s in the U.S., with the sedan becoming Kia's top-selling model in the market for four years running.

Kia's K5 sedan has been gaining popularity among motorists in the U.S. In November last year, the K5 was picked as the best midsize car of the year by leading American automotive information provider Kelley Blue Book.

Kia Motors said it expects strong sales of the K5 in the U.S. this year since shipments of its new version, which hit the American market late last year, are likely to go into high gear.

A Kia official said it will ramp up efforts to provide the utmost customer satisfaction in the U.S. by rolling out diverse marketing activities and ensuring top-notch quality.
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