Kia set a new record for sales in the UK during March with 12,608 vehicles delivered to customers, helping the brand to its best first quarter result since the height of the Government's scrappage scheme in 2010.

With 19,204 vehicles registered in the first three months Kia captured a 3.17% share of the new car market - up by almost 12% against 2012. The March month figures showed a near 13% increase against 2012's figure of 11,178.

Kia's bestselling car in the first quarter - for the first time - was the Slovakian-built Sportage, followed closely by Picanto, Rio and cee'd. 

President and chief executive of Kia Motors (UK) Paul Philpott said: "This is a fantastic result for Kia and its dealer network and is the culmination of a lot of hard work by our dealers.”