Kia Irvine, Calif.

In August, Kia Motors America entered the top 15 in the U.S. auto market for the first time since the line hit American showrooms in 1994. Sales through August of this year reached 180,670 units, up from 168,273 for the comparable period last year, up 7.4 percent and ahead of other imports such as Mitsubishi and Volkswagen. Kia’s best-selling vehicle, the Sedona minivan, was up 9,000 units, and the Sorento SUV, up 7,000. The Optima sedan added 9,000 units to 31,650, and Kia’s entry-level vehicle, the Rio, was also modestly up.