Hyundai, Kia sales accelerate in U.S.
2016 Sorento 3.3-liter V6 SX-L by Kia Motors / AP-Yonhap
Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors increased their combined U.S. sales nearly 18 percent in September, helped by strong demand for recreational vehicles, according to Yonhap news agency, Friday.
The companies sold 113,835 units in the month, up 17.8 percent from a year earlier, outperforming overall U.S. market growth of 15.7 percent.
Hyundai sold 64,015 cars, up 14.3 percent from a year earlier, while Kia sold 49,820 units, a 22.6 percent increase. The sales were largely due to a strong demand for their RV models, like Hyundai’s Tucson and Kia’s Carnival and Sorento.
The two ranked seventh in U.S. sales last month, with their market share inching up to 7.9 percent.
The companies also rose to second place for the first time in U.S. premium sedan sales. The combined sales of Hyundai’s Equus and Kia’s K9 full-sized luxury sedan were the second largest, following Mercedes-Benz.
The two companies’ ranking was up from July when they surpassed Lexus to rise to third in U.S. premium sedan sales.