Hyundai and Kia log best-ever January sales: "SUVs selling well despite U.S. tariffs"

Despite tariff threats from the U.S. administration, Hyundai Motor Group set a new all-time January sales record last month, according to Financial News.
According to Hyundai Motor Group on the 4th, Hyundai Motor and Kia sold a combined 125,296 vehicles in the U.S. market in January, up 7.7% from a year earlier. This put Hyundai Motor Group in second place in U.S. sales last month, behind Toyota Motor Corporation, which sold 176,853 units.
Hyundai Motor sold 60,794 vehicles, including its luxury brand Genesis. This marked its highest-ever January sales and a 2.4% increase from January last year. The Hyundai Palisade was a standout performer, with sales jumping 28.7% year-on-year to 8,604 units, while the Hyundai Kona also rose 21.9% over the same period to 5,321 units.
Kia also set a new January record, selling a total of 64,502 vehicles last month. This represents a 13.1% increase from a year earlier. Sales of the Kia Seltos surged 85.8% year-on-year to 5,278 units, while the Kia Carnival climbed 60.4% to 5,879 units. The Kia Niro (3,170 units, up 163.7%) and Kia K5 (6,276 units, up 44%) also posted strong gains compared with last year.
Hyundai Motor Group’s hybrid models were particularly popular. Hybrid sales in January totaled 27,489 units, up 65.7% from a year earlier. Hyundai Motor sold 14,316 hybrids, an increase of 51.9%, while Kia’s hybrid sales rose 83.8% to 13,173 units.
Overall eco-friendly vehicle sales in the United States reached 31,960 units, up 36.9% from 23,338 units a year earlier. Hyundai Motor and Kia together accounted for a 25.5% share of the U.S. eco-friendly vehicle market.
By contrast, electric vehicle sales for Hyundai Motor and Kia fell to 4,471 units, down 33.7% year-on-year, partly due to reduced subsidies. Hyundai Motor’s EV sales dropped 17.1% to 3,092 units, while Kia’s plunged 54.3% to 1,379 units.
eastcold@fnnews.com Kim Dong-chan Reporter