Seoul: Sales of Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Corp. in the United States rose nearly 5 percent in February compared to the previous year, driven by strong demand for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and electric vehicles (EVs).
According to Yonhap News Agency, Hyundai and Kia collectively sold 125,335 vehicles in the U.S. last month, marking a 4.97 percent increase from the 119,400 units sold in the same month last year. This data, sourced from the companies’ sales records, highlights Hyundai’s vehicle sales rising by 3 percent to 62,032 units, while Kia’s sales increased by 7.2 percent to a total of 63,303 vehicles.
Hyundai’s sales figures do not include results from its independent Genesis brand. The company attributed its growth to a significant 194 percent surge in sales of the Santa Fe gasoline hybrid SUV and a 12 percent rise in sales of the Ioniq 6 EV. “This was the best-ever February for Hyundai in total sales and the fifth consecutive month of total sales records driven by our volume leader, Tucson, and continued growth in EVs and hybrids,” stated Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai Motor North America, in a press release.
Kia also recorded its best February sales in the U.S. market, with a strong performance from their lineup of SUVs and the introduction of the new K4 compact sedan. Eric Watson, vice president of sales operations at Kia America, expressed in a separate release, “Kia continues to set one sales record after another with constant growth from our line of SUVs and the all-new K4 compact sedan.”
The combined U.S. sales for Hyundai and Kia from January to February showed an increase of 8.6 percent, reaching 236,845 vehicles, compared to 218,033 units in the same period last year, according to the data.