Hyundai Motor Group has achieved its highest-ever sales record in the United States, selling over 1.6 million vehicles last year. This milestone has propelled Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s third-largest automaker, into the top 5 in the U.S., surpassing Japan’s Honda. Last year, the group also overtook Stellantis, making it likely to secure the fourth position in the U.S. market for the first time.
According to industry sources on Jan. 4, Hyundai and Kia’s combined sales in the U.S. market last year totaled 1,652,821 units, marking their highest performance ever since entering the local market. This represents a 12.1% increase from the previous year.
Despite the severe impact of COVID-19 in 2020, when Hyundai and Kia’s U.S. sales dropped to around 1.2 million units, they rebounded in 2021 and 2022, exceeding 1.4 million units. Last year, they set a new record by selling more than 1.6 million units in the U.S. market for the first time in company history.
Breaking it down by company, Hyundai (including Genesis) sold 873,370 vehicles in the U.S. last year, an increase of 11.5% compared to the previous year. Kia sold 782,451 units, a 12.8% increase. Both Hyundai and Kia achieved their highest-ever sales records. Genesis also set a new record with 69,175 units sold, a 22.6% increase from the previous year.
After surpassing Honda in 2021 and 2022 to become the fifth largest in U.S. market sales, Hyundai Motor Group is likely to have surpassed Stellantis for the fourth position last year. Though Stellantis’ sales figures for last year have yet to be tallied, industry predictions strongly favor Hyundai Motor Group’s rise to fourth place. General Motors (GM) led U.S. sales last year with 2,577,662 units, followed by Toyota with 2,248,477 units and Ford, estimated to have sold 1.98 million units.
Hyundai and Kia’s strong performance in the U.S. market is attributed to the improved competitiveness of their popular sports utility vehicles and eco-friendly cars in the local market. Hyundai’s Tucson sales increased by 20% from the previous year, selling 209,624 units and breaking the 200,000 annual sales mark for the first time. Hyundai’s Santa Fe (131,574 units) and Kia’s Sportage (147,780 units) and Telluride (117,765 units) also sold over 100,000 units each, setting new sales records.
Electric vehicles, despite being excluded from the Inflation Reduction Act benefits, also sold well. The IONIQ 5 saw a 48% increase from the previous year, selling 33,918 units, and the IONIQ 6, launched in the U.S. last year, sold 12,999 units.