Hyundai Motor rises to No. 29 in Interbrand's global brand ranking

Hyundai Motor rose to 29th place in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2026 ranking, up two places from a year earlier, with its brand value reaching $25 billion, the automaker said Wednesday.

The annual ranking by global brand consultancy Interbrand evaluates brands based on their financial performance, influence on consumers’ purchasing decisions and ability to build long-term loyalty.

Hyundai also climbed to fourth among automotive brands from sixth in 2025, extending its streak of annual brand value growth to 17 consecutive years.

Hyundai attributed the improvement to its strengthened vehicle lineup, investments in future growth areas such as physical artificial intelligence (AI) and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), and global marketing campaigns tied to major sporting events and cultural initiatives.

“Seventeen consecutive years of brand value growth comes from customers who chose Hyundai and from the teams and dealer partners who earned that trust,” Hyundai Motor President and CEO Jose Munoz said.

“Improving to fourth among automotive brands reflects both the strength of our products today and the technologies we are building for what comes next — software-defined vehicles and physical AI.”

Hyundai’s vehicle lineup has received international recognition for product quality and safety. The Palisade was named the 2026 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, while the IONIQ 9 electric SUV was recognized as the world’s best large SUV at the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year awards.

Electrified vehicles are another growth driver. Hyundai sold 961,812 electrified vehicles worldwide in 2025, up 27 percent from a year earlier. In the first quarter of 2026, sales rose 14.2 percent year-on-year to 242,612, accounting for a record 24.9 percent of total global sales.

Beyond vehicles, Hyundai Motor Group is expanding into physical AI and robotics. In September, it demonstrated training of its Atlas humanoid robot at the Robotics Metaplant Application Center, preparing for its deployment at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America planned for 2028. Its MobED mobile robot platform also won a Best of Innovation award at CES 2026.

The group is accelerating its transition toward SDVs through Pleos, its software brand launched in 2025. It aims to equip about 20 million vehicles with its Pleos Connect infotainment system by 2030.

Global marketing has further strengthened Hyundai’s brand profile. A FIFA partner since 1999, the automaker supported the 2026 World Cup with its largest-ever fleet of official vehicles and launched its “Next Starts Now” campaign.

Hyundai also won a Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June for its “Coqui Alarmed” campaign, marking its second consecutive year of Grand Prix recognition.

“This year, Hyundai unveiled its AI robotics strategy, extending the brand into physical AI. By proving tangible competitiveness in robotics and electrification, it strengthened brand distinctiveness and trust, a key driver of brand value growth,” said Moon Ji-hun, global managing partner of Interbrand Group.