Hybrid model sales surge

Kia posts record monthly US sales of 83,793 units

Hyundai Motor sells 86,977 units, down 1.7% on-year

A Kia Sportage hybrid produced at HMGMA is carried out on a parking robot in June. [Hyundai Motor Group]
A Kia Sportage hybrid produced at HMGMA is carried out on a parking robot in June. [Hyundai Motor Group]

Hyundai Motor and Kia broke their all-time monthly US sales record for eco-friendly vehicles — including hybrids, hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and electric vehicles — last month.

The two automakers sold a combined 178,405 vehicles in the United States in August, down 0.6 percent from a year earlier, they announced Wednesday.

While overall sales edged lower, eco-friendly vehicle sales posted double-digit growth and drove the combined performance. The two brands sold 57,735 eco-friendly vehicles in the US last month, up 15.5 percent year-on-year — the highest monthly total ever recorded for the segment in the American market.

By brand, Hyundai Motor sold 29,741 eco-friendly vehicles, up 1.1 percent, while Kia sold 27,994, up 36.1 percent. Eco-friendly vehicles accounted for 32.4 percent of the two brands' combined US sales.

By powertrain, hybrids led the charge. Hybrid vehicle sales rose 47.7 percent year-on-year to 50,057 units, setting a new all-time monthly record. Electric vehicle sales, however, fell 52.3 percent to 7,678 units.

Hyundai Motor sold 86,977 vehicles in the US last month, down 1.7 percent from a year earlier. The Tucson compact SUV topped the lineup with 21,197 units sold, followed by the Elantra at 17,747 units.

Kia sold 83,793 vehicles, up 0.9 percent, setting a new all-time monthly US sales record. The Sportage led with 18,723 units, while strong demand across the RV lineup was evident — the Telluride moved 12,693 units, the Seltos 9,241 and the Carnival 7,389.

Premium brand Genesis sold 7,635 vehicles, down 3.7 percent from a year earlier.


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