Hyundai Motor announced a decrease in global sales for June compared to the previous year, attributed to reduced demand both domestically and internationally. The automaker, based in South Korea, sold 338,313 vehicles worldwide last month, marking a 5.9 percent drop from the same period in 2019. Overseas sales saw a 5.8 percent decline to 280,081 units, while domestic sales fell by 6.2 percent to 58,232 units.
In the first half of this year, Hyundai Motor’s global sales amounted to 1.96 million vehicles, reflecting a 4.9 percent decrease from the previous year. The company anticipates a gradual sales recovery, boosted by the recent launch of the facelifted Grandeur flagship sedan and the upcoming release of the redesigned Avante compact sedan in the latter part of the year.
Kia, another South Korean automaker, experienced a nearly 10 percent increase in global sales in June compared to the same period last year, driven by a surge in demand for its sport utility vehicles (SUVs). The company sold 295,720 vehicles worldwide last month, indicating a 9.5 percent rise from the previous year. Notably, the Sportage SUV emerged as Kia’s top-selling model, with 54,058 units sold, followed by the Seltos SUV with 35,007 units and the K4 compact sedan with 22,373 units.
During June, Kia’s overseas sales climbed by 7.6 percent year-on-year to 240,259 units, while domestic sales surged by 18.6 percent to 54,508 units. Kia achieved a record global sales figure of 1.63 million vehicles in the first half of this year, marking its highest-ever first-half sales performance.
On the other hand, Renault Korea Motors, the South Korean arm of France’s Renault S.A., reported a substantial drop in June sales compared to the previous year due to weak demand in both the local and international markets. The automaker sold 4,651 vehicles last month, reflecting a 45.7 percent decrease from the same period in 2019. Domestic sales declined by 32.2 percent year-on-year to 3,400 units, while overseas sales plummeted by 45.7 percent to 4,651 units.
Renault Korea’s total sales in the first half of this year stood at 33,384 units, showing a significant 29 percent decline from the previous year. Domestic sales for the initial six months of this year dropped by 24.5 percent year-on-year to 21,187 units, while exports saw a sharp decline of 35.7 percent to 12,197 units.
