Kia’s run as a hot brand in the U.S. car market could be over. With a sales drop of 4.5% in the first half, the trouble that company has had recently apparently has caught up with it.

There was a time not long ago when Kia might have moved its peak market share of 4% of the American market to a level closer to Nissan, which had a share of double that. But Kia does not have a single vehicle among the top 20 sellers by unit volume in the United States.

Kia’s so-called Commitment to Quality was undermined completely by a scandal that involved its miles-per-gallon claims. The company has resorted to special incentives to get new customers, which include 0% APR for loans on some of its models.

The legal challenges over Kia’s mileage claims are not behind it. For every day the public watches these challenges, questions about the reasons for owning a Kia linger.

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