From an “Export Model” to a “Global Model”: Hyundai Tucson Sells 10.6 Million Units in 22 Years

[Financial News] Global cumulative sales of the Hyundai Tucson surpassed 10.6 million units 22 years after its launch in 2004.
According to Hyundai Motor Company on the 30th, sales of the Hyundai Tucson through August this year totaled 10,616,102 units, excluding the China-exclusive model, the Hyundai ix35. Including the 554,049 China-exclusive units, total sales reached 11,170,151. The 10 million-unit milestone is the third such record for Hyundai Motor Group, following the Hyundai Elantra and i20, and the first for a Korean-made sport utility vehicle (SUV).
The Hyundai Tucson passed 1 million units in 2008 and 5 million in 2016 before surpassing 10 million units last year. From 2021 through 2025, it ranked first in annual sales among Hyundai Motor Company's vehicle models for five consecutive years.
Sales volume grew with each successive generation. Average annual sales increased more than fourfold, from 124,000 units for the first generation to 506,000 for the fourth. The fourth generation, launched in 2020 and sold through August this year, accounted for approximately 3.373 million units. In 2016, annual sales reached an all-time high of 735,173 units.
Overseas markets accounted for 91% of sales. Cumulative domestic sales totaled 953,029 units, or 9.0% of global sales excluding China. The share of overseas sales supplied by local production rose from 4.0% in 2005 to 76.0% in 2023, reaching 60.6% cumulatively, or 5,858,926 units. Hyundai Motor Company is reducing tariff and foreign-exchange risks through production facilities in the United States, the Czech Republic and elsewhere.
The United States is the Hyundai Tucson's largest market, with cumulative sales of 2,227,154 units, accounting for 19.9% of global sales. Since hybrids were introduced in the United States in 2021, their share of sales reached 27.8% through August this year and has remained around 30%.
The model has also continued to receive strong evaluations for safety and product competitiveness. The fourth-generation Hyundai Tucson received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest rating, TOP SAFETY PICK+ (TSP+), for five consecutive years from 2022 through 2026. U.S. News & World Report also named it the “Best Family Compact SUV” for five straight years during the same period.
Hyundai Motor Company recently unveiled the completely redesigned fifth-generation model. Applying its new design philosophy, “Art of Steel,” the vehicle has adopted a boxy SUV design and grown in size. It is scheduled to be launched sequentially in North America, Europe and other markets beginning in 2027.
A Hyundai Motor Company official said, “Over the past 22 years, the Hyundai Tucson has evolved from an export model into a global strategic model based on local production. Going forward, we will leverage its product strengths to establish it as a global best-selling car.”
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter