Hyundai Motor Group surpasses 15 million cumulative RV sales in US

Group sells 15.07 million RVs in 22 years since US entry

On pace to overtake Ford in Q3 sales for first time

Hybrid demand lifts Hyundai Motor, Kia market share

Hyundai Motor's Palisade, Santa Fe and Tucson are displayed in front of DRV PNK Stadium in Miami, Florida. Hyundai Motor serves as the official automotive partner of Inter Miami CF. [Provided by Inter Miami CF]

Hyundai Motor Group has surpassed 15 million cumulative recreational vehicle sales in the United States and is on track to overtake domestic automaker Ford in quarterly sales for the first time, underscoring the group's growing footprint in the world's largest auto market.

Hyundai Motor and Kia said Monday that combined RV sales in the US reached 15,067,646 units from the group's market entry in 1994 through last month — 22 years after the two brands first entered the American market. Hyundai Motor, including Genesis, accounted for 7,059,566 of those sales, while Kia contributed 8,008,080.

The group hit 1 million cumulative RV sales in 2005, 11 years after entering the US, and crossed the 10 million mark in 2022. The growth reflects an expanding RV lineup — including the Santa Fe, Tucson, Sorento, Sportage and Telluride — as well as the launch of eco-friendly models such as the Ioniq 5 and EV6.

Annual RV sales have risen steadily since 2017, and the group has sold more than 1 million RVs per year every year since 2022. Sales from January through August this year reached 936,789 units, putting the group on pace to surpass last year's total of 1,387,145 and set an all-time annual record. RVs have accounted for more than 70 percent of the group's total US sales — including sedans — every year since 2022.

Exterior of Hyundai Motor's all-new Tucson [Provided by Hyundai Motor]

By model, the Santa Fe led all RVs with 2,595,159 cumulative sales, followed by the Tucson (2,227,154), Sorento (1,981,991), Sportage (1,952,129) and Soul (1,563,607). The Sorento and Sportage are each approaching the 2 million cumulative sales mark this year.

Hyundai Motor and Kia currently offer a combined 21 RV models in the US — 11 from Hyundai Motor and 10 from Kia. The Tucson has established itself as a volume model, selling more than 200,000 units annually since 2023, while the Santa Fe, Palisade, Sportage and Telluride each sell more than 100,000 units per year.

Hyundai Motor and Kia have won the North American Car of the Year award nine times combined, with five of those wins going to RVs. Hyundai Motor's winners include the Kona (2019) and Palisade (2026), while Kia has taken the title with the Telluride (2020), EV6 (2023) and EV9 (2024).

Hyundai Motor plans to continue expanding its RV lineup in the US. The company intends to launch the GV80 Hybrid — Genesis's first hybrid model — along with a range-extended electric vehicle version of the Santa Fe. It is also preparing to release the fifth-generation all-new Tucson.

Kia plans to build out annual Sportage sales capacity to 200,000 units — a first for any single Kia model — and expand Telluride production capacity to 180,000 units per year. The brand will also launch a Seltos hybrid this year to target entry-level RV demand.

A Ford logo on an F-150 pickup truck. [Reuters]

Against this backdrop, Hyundai Motor Group is projected to outsell Ford on a quarterly basis for the first time. CNBC and Bloomberg reported Thursday (local time), citing an analysis by market research firm Cox Automotive, that the group's US sales in the third quarter are estimated at 511,421 units, edging out Ford's 504,172.

The figure combines sales from Hyundai Motor, Kia and Genesis. The group grew 6.5 percent year-on-year during the quarter, while Ford's sales fell 7.1 percent.

If confirmed, the result would mark the first time Hyundai Motor Group has surpassed Ford in quarterly US sales, placing it third behind General Motors (671,706 units) and Toyota (642,707 units). Ford has faced supply disruptions for its popular pickup trucks since a fire at a key parts supplier last year.

Rising fuel prices are also working in the group's favor, as consumers shift away from trucks and SUVs toward more fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. Hyundai Motor, Kia and Toyota all offer broad powertrain lineups that include hybrids.

"Consumers are looking for fuel-efficient options," Cox Automotive said. "Hyundai Motor and Kia have started to offer those options and are gaining market share."

eyre@heraldcorp.com