cars news 10: One Millionth Kia Sorento Rolls off the Line in Georgia

After entering U.S. production more than seven years ago, the Kia Sorento has reached an important milestone. The one-millionth Sorento rolled off the assembly line at Kia’s plant in West Point, Ga., on Monday.

Not only was the Sorento the first vehicle to come out of the Georgia plant, but it was also the first Kia vehicle ever to be assembled in the U.S. Back in November 2009, Kia rolled out a white 2011 Sorento as its very first model at the plant, and following in the same theme, Kia painted its millionth Sorento a snow white pearl color. The special 2018 Kia Sorento SXL will be on display at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in the coming weeks.

Today, the plant is able to produce 360,000 units annually, and over the years, Kia has built almost 2.4 million vehicles in Georgia. Along with the Sorento, the 2,200-acre facility has also been home to production of the Kia Optima since 2011. A total of 15,000 jobs have been created in West Point and its surrounding communities thanks to the plant and its associated suppliers.

During the month of April, the Sorento was the third best-selling Kia product in the U.S, beating out the popular Soul but slotting behind the Optima and Forte. So far this year, Kia has sold 30,092 copies of its midsize crossover.

Source: Kia