By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter
Hyundai Motor’s ``Sonata’’ is likely to be one of the million seller cars in the United States this month in less than a decade since the mid-sized sedan was first introduced into the world’s largest automobile market, according to the carmaker Tuesday.
Hyundai Motor, the top South Korean automaker, said that the accumulated sales of Sonata, which was first exported to the U.S. market in 1989, totaled 995,883 as of November and are expected to exceed one million by the end of this year.
If the Sonata achieves the landmark one million, Hyundai Motor will have three million-seller brands in the U.S. market including the Excel, which sold 1.14 million before it was retired in 1996, and the Elantra, which sold 1.22 million until last month.
Since its debut in South Korea in 1985, Sonata has been one of the main brands of Hyundai Motor, going through several generational changes and facelifts.
Hyundai Motor chose the first-generation Sonata as part of efforts to expand its sales in North America after the success of the Excel. It was first introduced into Canada in 1987 and then the U.S. in 1989.
Last updated last month under the name of the ``Sonata Transform,’’ the popular sedan posted accumulated sales of 4.12 million worldwide including 2.31 million at home over the past two decades.
The Sonata also kept its status as the best-selling car at home this year, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA). It ranked top in terms of sales with 105,247 by the end of November.