Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. posted record quarterly sales in the US in the third quarter, thanks to strong demand for hybrids, electric vehicles and sport utility vehicles offsetting tariff concerns that have clouded imported autos.
The South Korean automakers sold a combined 480,175 vehicles in the July-September quarter, up 12% from a year earlier, Hyundai Motor Group announced Thursday.
Hyundai, including its marque brand Genesis, delivered 260,538 units, a 12.7% increase, while Kia sales rose 11.1% to 219,637. Genesis alone sold 21,469 units.
Each brand notched its highest-ever quarterly tally, according to the companies.
Eco-friendly models led the gains.
Hyundai and Kia together sold 135,547 hybrid and electric vehicles in the quarter, up 54.5% from a year ago.
Hybrid sales jumped 54.6% to just over 90,000 units, while EV sales climbed 54.4% to about 45,500.
September also marked a record month, with Hyundai, including Genesis, selling 77,860 vehicles and Kia 65,507. Each unit’s shipments marked on-year gains of 12.8% and 11.2% respectively.
Hyundai’s Tucson compact SUV and Kia’s Sportage SUV were the top sellers.
The surge comes although the US administration under President Donald Trump maintains a 25% tariff on imported passenger vehicles.
In the absence of a signed trade pact between South Korea and the US, Korean cars face heavier US levies than their Japanese and European peers, slapped with 15%.
Hyundai has announced plans to increase US-based production to alleviate tariff pressure.
In the meantime, the company said it may adjust US prices flexibly, explore alternative parts sourcing and continue ramping up local production.
For now, it has held off on immediate price hikes, saying it is still evaluating the impact of tariffs.
Kia, for its part, also plans to increase hybrid production for popular models like the Sportage, Sorento and Telluride at its Georgia plant.
It also plans to build hybrids in Hyundai’s Georgia factory as part of a broader alignment under the group’s US operations.
By Bo-Hyung Kim
kph21c@hankyung.com
Sookyung Seo edited this article.
