The brand has now recorded half a million registrations since it came to the UK in 1991. The landmark registrations come as Kia also announces record May and year-to-date performances, with 5,604 Kias registered last month – an 8.3% increase on the previous best-ever May in 2012. Total sales for 2013 to date now stand at 30,441 vehicles – a record for the first five months of the year and some 10.6% up from the same time last year. Kia's year-to-date market share stands at 3.2%.

Paul Philpott, president and CEO, Kia Motors (UK) Limited commented: ‘Reaching 500,000 cars in the UK is another important milestone for the Kia brand.  Our growth over the last few years has been down to a combination of great new products, changing perceptions of the brand and is testament to the efforts of our growing UK dealer network.

‘We predict that we will achieve one million registrations in the UK before the end of the decade and our long-term ambition is to become a “Top 5” volume car brand in the UK. Considering that our year-to-date sales equal our entire annual performance from just five years ago, I am confident we will get there,’ added Philpott.